Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
CBU board approves multiple contracts, emergency repairs and capital bid award
Loading...
Summary
The City of Bloomington Utilities board on March 9 approved routine financial items, several on-call and emergency service contracts, and a bid award and public-works contract for a transformer/VFD replacement at the Monroe Water Treatment Plant. The meeting also included updates on pretreatment and stormwater programs.
The City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) Utility Services Board on March 9 approved a package of routine financial items and several contracts, including an emergency repair related to a transformer failure at the Dillman facility and a contract tied to a transformer/VFD replacement at the Monroe Water Treatment Plant.
The board approved standard invoices totaling $798,788.01, utility claims of $88,132.76 and March wire transfers of $651,647.56. The board also approved customer refunds totaling $3,892.26. Catherine Zager, CBU utilities director, presented the consent agenda, which included a $4,932 contract with Electric Plus Inc. for EV charger cabling and a $5,842.29 contract with Brehob Corporation for replacement VFDs at the Dillman Wastewater Treatment Plant; the consent agenda was approved without separate consideration.
On contracts, Purchasing Manager Jose Fuentes recommended on-call service agreements including a high-/low-voltage on-call contract with Echo Electric, a fence-repair on-call agreement with Harmony Acres (doing business as Value Fence Company), and an on-call pump-and-parts agreement with Water Solutions Unlimited; the board voted to approve each agreement. The board also approved an emergency contract with Electric Plus after Hector Ortiz described a Feb. 5 transformer failure that required three certified electricians to restore service overnight.
The board approved Resolution 2026-04 to accept bids and award a public-works contract to replace a large VFD and transformer for high-service pump No. 1 at the Monroe Water Treatment Plant. Capital projects manager Daniel Hudson said three bids were received and staff recommended the lowest responsive bidder; staff presented a contract amount of $294,500 for the work and the board approved the resolution and the subsequent public-works agreement.
The board also approved Amendment No. 3 to the Commonwealth Engineers agreement for Westwood Lift Station design work, adding $30,430 and raising the not-to-exceed amount to $697,600 while extending the contract term by one year. Resolution 2026-03 designating surplus city property for auction or disposal was approved following a presentation from City Legal.
The meeting included subcommittee reports on the pretreatment program and the MS4 stormwater program, and staff announced a new communications operator and a promotion within the mechanics team. The board adjourned after routine closing remarks.
Votes at a glance - Minutes (Feb. 23, 2026): approved. - Standard invoices ($798,788.01): approved. - Utility claims ($88,132.76): approved. - Wire transfers ($651,647.56): approved. - Customer refunds ($3,892.26): approved. - Consent agenda ($10,774.29 total): approved. - On-call contracts: Echo Electric; Harmony Acres/Value Fence; Water Solutions Unlimited — all approved. - Emergency contract with Electric Plus (Dillman transformer response): approved. - Resolution 2026-04 (Monroe Water Treatment Plant transformer/VFD replacement — contract amount presented as $294,500): approved; public-works agreement approved. - Amendment No. 3 to Commonwealth Engineers (Westwood Lift Station): approved (increase $30,430; NTE $697,600; +1 year). - Resolution 2026-03 (surplus property): approved.
Next steps Staff will finalize and sign the awarded contracts and proceed with the capital and emergency work described; staff also will continue work on the Westwood Lift Station design per the approved amendment. The board will reconvene for its next scheduled meeting.
