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Votes at a glance: Austin council approves bids, election rules, airport consultant and engineering contracts
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Summary
At its May 4 meeting the council unanimously approved a mill-and-overlay contract for 14th Street NW, adopted a write‑in vote counting resolution, appointed election judges, selected SEH as airport consultant, approved an off‑site gambling application, and authorized an engineering contract for wastewater coating analysis.
The Austin City Council approved multiple routine resolutions and contract actions at its May 4 meeting, including awarding a street‑work contract, adopting an election‑administration resolution and appointing election judges, selecting an airport consultant, approving a gambling permit application, and authorizing an engineering services contract for the wastewater treatment plant.
Key votes and decisions
- 14th Street NW mill and overlay: Council awarded the bid to Rochester Sand and Gravel, the low bidder at $395,296, for work from 8th Avenue North to I‑90, including crack repair and sanitary sewer spot repairs. Funding sources cited by staff were Municipal State Aid (Fund 42) and Wastewater Treatment Plant Fund (Fund 61). The resolution passed by roll call vote.
- Write‑in vote counting resolution (Minn. Stat. §204B.09): The council adopted a resolution allowing the city to individually tally write‑in votes only when the number of write‑in votes for an office equals or exceeds the lowest vote total among candidates whose names appear on the ballot. The clerk said the rule must be adopted before the first day of filing for office; council approved it 6‑0.
- Appointment of election judges (2026): The council approved a resolution to appoint election judges as required under Minnesota statute; the resolution includes a provision allowing additional appointments later if staffing needs require it.
- Airport consultant statement of qualifications: Staff reported that SEH was the lone respondent for the Austin Municipal Airport five‑year capital improvement plan and recommended contracting with SEH for the next five‑year term; council approved the recommendation.
- Off‑site gambling application: Council approved an off‑site gambling application for American National Pulse 91 by unanimous vote.
- Wastewater treatment plant engineering contract: Council authorized a contract with KTA Tator Inc. to evaluate coating failures in Industrial EQ digester No. 2, with a not‑to‑exceed amount of $15,500 for testing and analysis; council approved the contract 6‑0.
All motions passed without recorded opposition. Where staff provided funding sources or statutory citations, those are included in the council record; when details (for example, specific resolution numbers) were not read into the record, the minutes list items as described in the agenda.
