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Council rejects sole bid for temporary power as courthouse road plan advances
Summary
The council voted unanimously to reject a sole, high bid for temporary power tied to the proposed courthouse road, citing opportunities to stagger costs and pursue permanent-power solutions while the judiciary extended timelines.
City Manager Charlie updated the council on the courthouse relocation project and associated Merrill Lane extension, describing progress on design, easements and DEP approvals and noting the judiciary had extended the city’s timeline for providing power to the site. He recommended rejecting the single bid the city received for temporary power and exploring options to apply funds to permanent service instead.
Charlie said the developer agreement originally anticipated temporary power for construction access but that, because of the judiciary’s timeline flexibility, staff prefers staging permanent-power work rather than spending approximately $90,000 now on temporary service. Councilors discussed fiscal exposure and whether the city should bear upfront utility costs for a courthouse that will be tax-exempt.
One councilor moved and the council voted unanimously to reject the sole bid for temporary power and directed staff to continue tracking hours, materials and funding options, including potential state assistance and TIF funding, and to return with further cost updates.
