North Aurora board awards $117,923 electrical relocation and $154,900 police boiler contracts

THE NORTH AURORA Village Board on Dec. 15 approved two staff-recommended contract awards aimed at infrastructure and facility upkeep.

The first award was for electrical service relocation at the Kane County fire training site. Staff member Munn Breen said an EEI electrical study found the training site’s service shared a transformer with the East Water Treatment Plant, which "could cause problems in the future." Earlier bids exceeded the $140,000 budget by about $73,000; after revising the scope and soliciting quotes the staff recommended waiving the formal bidding process and awarding the work to Frank Marshall Marshall Electric for $117,923. The motion to approve and a roll-call vote were recorded and the award passed.

The second award was for replacement of boilers at the police department. Brian told the board the boilers are approximately 16 years old and the village spent more than $30,000 on repairs over the past two years. The project had a $160,000 budget; the lowest bidder was ineligible because it did not meet an apprenticeship requirement, so staff recommended awarding the contract to 1 Source Mechanical for $154,900. A trustee asked about the typical lifespan for boilers; Brian said vendor guidance placed useful life at "between 15 and 20 years," and he noted annual start-up maintenance costs of about $5,000 per boiler. The board approved the award by roll call.

Both items were described by staff as necessary to reduce future risks to critical systems and to avoid escalating maintenance costs. The board adjourned after routine updates on parks and the nearly completed public-works facility.