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County approves $552,501 bid to replace Civic Center irrigation system and directs administrator to study alternative water sources
Summary
The board approved a $552,501 bid (below the $600,000 CIP budget) to replace the Civic Center irrigation system and also directed the administrator to evaluate efficiency and alternative water-source options (including potential well or gray-water approaches) with an owner’s-rep review or RFP if outside existing contract scopes.
John Chase, Grand Traverse County parks and facilities director, told commissioners the Civic Center’s irrigation system—installed in 1975—has exceeded its useful life and needs replacement. The county’s capital improvement plan budgeted $600,000 for the project; the low bid from Traverse Outdoor came in at $552,501.
"That system has lived well beyond its useful life," Chase said, describing leaks, broken heads and difficulty finding parts. He said the new system would provide better coverage, more efficient operation and hydrometers to reduce wasted water.
Commissioners expressed support for replacing a decades-old system but debated whether to pause for a two-week owner’s-rep review by Cunningham-Limp to identify potential efficiencies. Several commissioners also asked administration to explore alternative water sources for irrigation (including whether a well or recycled/gray water could be feasible) and to consider public-health constraints in using non-potable supplies at a public park.
The board approved the bid to Traverse Outdoor by voice vote and then passed a motion directing the county administrator to contact Cunningham-Limp to review the design and, if outside their current contract, return to the board with options or an RFP to study alternative water sources for county parks.
Why it matters: The approval commits roughly $552,501 of CIP funds to a long-overdue infrastructure replacement. Commissioners balanced the need for prompt work (to avoid interfering with field use) with requests for a second technical review and investigation of lower-cost or lower-footprint water alternatives.
Administration will return with any proposed additional contracts or procurement steps if the inspection or water-source evaluation is outside current contracted services.
