Mona Council awards 200 North waterline contract to Newman; PRV failure prompts planned outages Sept. 16–17

The Mona City Council voted Sept. 9 to award Newman Construction the base bid for the Mona City 200 North waterline replacement and approved using remaining Community Investment Board (CIB) grant funds to cover contingency costs. Council also approved an emergency repair plan for a malfunctioning pressure-reducing valve (PRV) that will require targeted water shutoffs on Sept. 16–17.

Dan, a city staff member who presented the contractor recommendations, told the council the city received 10 bids for the waterline project, nine of which qualified, and recommended Newman Construction because its price and experience matched the project needs and the company is ready to mobilize. Agenda materials and the staff summary list the base bid at $257,000 and a project authorization up to $311,310 to cover the bid plus contingencies and change orders; staff said the project currently carries about $54,000 in contingency funds that could cover additional meter/settings work if allowed by the CIB. Council approved the award by voice vote after a motion and second.

Council members and staff discussed adding meter setter and backflow replacements to the contract so the city could remove old galvanized service lines and reduce lead/corrosion risks. Staff said doing that work under the current contract would likely require CIB approval because the CIB provided the original grant and has limits on allowable scope changes. "That way, we're covered if change orders come through, like these meters or things like that," Dan said.

During the award motion a council member verbally stated a different large figure ($257,100,000) that does not match the written agenda or staff materials; the written contract and staff recommendation provided to council show $257,000 as the base bid and the council directed staff to circulate a notice of award and obtain bonds and insurance from the contractor before issuing a notice to proceed.

Separately, public works staff reported a separate, urgent repair: a PRV near Cemetery Lane has seized shutoff valves and cannot be isolated, so Clay Val (a contractor) is scheduled to replace the PRV and install a 3-inch bypass. Garrett, a city staff member, said crews will begin draining the line the afternoon of Sept. 16 and resume work early Sept. 17. Because the lateral serving that section lacks isolation valves, staff warned about expected outages to roughly six to seven homes and to two commercial connections (Jay Meekum's shop and Gordon Jarrett's property). Garrett said the bypass can be installed quickly once crews are in place and that, after bypass installation, crews expected to restore service in a matter of hours.

"I know it's a crappy situation, but that PRV is not working," Garrett said in the meeting. Staff said they mailed letters, will send text alerts and social-media notices, and will offer water to affected residents. Officials urged residents to avoid large water use during the outage window so lines can drain and be refilled safely.

Next steps: staff will finalize contract paperwork with Newman Construction (the notice of award gives the contractor two weeks to provide bonding and insurance), seek CIB confirmation if scope changes are added, and proceed with the PRV repair as scheduled. The council packet included a printed notice of award that staff circulated at the end of the meeting.

Provenance: City staff presentation and discussion of the 200 North waterline project and bid recommendations; motion and vote to award contract; circulation of notice of award; public-works briefing and PRV repair schedule as presented to council.