The Town of St. John council voted Dec. 29 to accept a rebid for steel for the Heartland Park expansion and authorized the town manager to sign the contract. Staff said the first round of bidding produced only one respondent; a rebid produced four bidders and drove the price down, yielding over $600,000 in savings compared with the initial package estimate.

Pre-construction staff recommended awarding the steel contract to Wilson Eineworx and asked that the town manager be authorized to sign the contract. During discussion the recommended contract range was referenced between roughly $505,100 and $528,000; the council approved the recommendation and directed the town manager to execute the agreement.

Staff praised the pre-construction team for securing competitive bids in a challenging market window and noted the savings would help keep the overall project under budget. No objections or abstentions were recorded.

Council authorization allows staff to finalize procurement and move forward with the Heartland Park construction schedule; the town manager will return to council or provide the contract summary to the clerk treasurer as required by procurement policy.