Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Projects topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee approves multiple change orders, awards resurfacing and Oak Street engineering contracts
Summary
Brainerd City committee approved several construction change orders (Lowell Safe Routes, Wright & 10th, Beach & Oak Ridge, Hawkins resurfacing) and awarded engineering services for next year’s resurfacing and the Oak Street reconstruction, while directing staff to review contract protections after subcontractor eligibility issues.
Brainerd City’s committee voted to approve a series of construction change orders and to award engineering contracts for upcoming street projects at its meeting. The actions included approvals for the Lowell Safe Routes to School work, change orders on the Wright Street and 10th reconstruction and the Beach Street–Oak Ridge project, a change order for the Hawkins resurfacing job that replaces a paving subcontractor, and awards of engineering services for 2026 resurfacing and the 2029 Oak Street reconstruction.
Engineer Jesse Dean told the committee that WSB agreed to “commit to cover the cost of those 2 change orders,” referring to two corrections tied to plan oversights, and recommended using state aid construction funds to pay for a topsoil borrow item for the Lowell project. On the Hawkins resurfacing matter, staff said the change order replaces a paving subcontractor after Anderson Brothers was deemed ineligible, bringing the two-part change order to roughly $27,794.50.
Why it matters: the approvals keep multiple projects on schedule and clarify how the city will handle unanticipated costs as work moves into the late season. Council members pressed for stronger contract language after the Hawkins debate, asking the city attorney and staff to examine whether current contract provisions sufficiently protect the city from subcontractor nonperformance.
Details and context: the committee approved the following actions (motions carried):
Votes at a glance
- Lowell Safe Routes change orders: approved. Engineer Jesse Dean recommended three change orders — topsoil borrow (staff recommended state aid funds cover the cost) and two WSB-covered items. (Discussion: SEG 005–SEG 122.)
- Wright Street & 10th (Improvement 1712) change order: approved. Change order covers about $20,484.30 in specialty fire-suppression materials that could not be returned and 15 additional calendar days. (Discussion: SEG 344–SEG 471.)
- Beach Street & Oak Ridge (Improvement 2115) change order: approved. Additional temporary traffic-control and rerouting costs were approved for $414,364.58 after staff coordinated with MnDOT and Crow Wing County on alternate detours. (Discussion: SEG 473–SEG 569.)
- Hawkins/Bridal/Joseph resurfacing (Improvement 2314) change order: approved. Two parts — replacing short water-main leads with ductile iron and replacing the paving subcontractor — totaling approximately $27,794.50. Council asked staff and the city attorney to review contract language regarding subcontractor default. (Discussion: SEG 570–SEG 873.)
- Award: 2026 resurfacing engineering services (not to exceed $95,042) to WSB: approved. Staff scored four proposals and gave heavier weight to cost for this simpler design work. (Discussion: SEG 875–SEG 969.)
- Award: Oak Street reconstruction engineering services (not to exceed $799,241) to Widseth; staff noted a $1,000,000 federal construction grant, and recommended including a corridor study as part of the engineering scope. (Discussion: SEG 971–SEG 1162.)
What council members asked for next: several members requested that city contracts be reviewed to identify protections against absorbing costs when subcontractors fail to perform. Engineer Dean said staff will coordinate with the city attorney and bring recommended contract language or changes back to council at a future meeting.
The committee carried each motion and moved the items forward to the full council as appropriate.
