Council authorizes Signature to repave 9th Street after debate over bid scope

Dundee’s city council voted to authorize the interim city administrator to contract with Signature for the repaving and repair of a section of 9th Street, after council members raised concerns that a competing bid from Legacy did not include key scope items.

Councilors and staff said the two proposals were not directly comparable: one bid omitted saw cutting, subsurface testing and traffic-control work that staff expect will be necessary. Speaker 1 summarized council concerns about scope and timing and said Signature offered a more complete package. “Signature does amazing quality,” Speaker 1 said during deliberations.

Members pointed to near-term scheduling constraints, noting that completing the work before the rainy season would be advantageous. Speaker 8 urged action sooner rather than later: “If we can do it before rain set in, I think we should.” Staff also recommended contacting the city’s engineer to confirm technical specifications before and during contract execution to ensure the scope covers saw cutting, subsurface checks and traffic-control measures.

On the motion to authorize the city administrator to execute the contract with Signature for the 9th Street paving work, the council voted in favor with one abstention. Council members also directed staff to pursue documentation about whether design errors contributed to the repair needs and whether costs might be recoverable through the original design firm’s insurance.

The council’s action authorizes the city administrator to sign with the chosen contractor; staff will return with the executed contract and any engineer clarifications at a subsequent meeting.