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Isanti approves Railroad Avenue contract; two property owners agree to install Main Street sidewalk
Summary
Council awarded the Railroad Avenue street-improvement contract to North Valley, Inc. and approved a 13-month arrangement allowing adjacent property owners to install the Main Street sidewalk at their own expense to avoid assessments; council approved the base contract and a companion agreement for the property-owner work.
The Isanti City Council awarded the Railroad Avenue improvement contract to low responsible bidder North Valley, Inc. and agreed to a separate arrangement allowing two adjacent property owners to install a Main Street sidewalk at their own expense.
Public works staff reported they received eight bids and that the low bid on Railroad Avenue came in roughly 6% under the engineer’s estimate; the sidewalk alternate was substantially under the feasibility estimate. Jason, the city project manager, summarized the bid results and asked council whether to accept the base project and the alternate.
Two parcel owners, Brian Boss and Stacy, addressed the council. Brian told the council he expects to begin private construction on his parcel midsummer and offered to install the city-spec sidewalk himself, saying he could commit to completing it within a set timeframe to avoid an assessment. “I have 15 months to install that sidewalk at my own cost,” Brian said, offering a timeline; council members negotiated that down to a 13‑month completion window to reduce open-season risk.
Councilmembers raised public-safety and coordination concerns about installing a short sidewalk now and then reopening the area for the private project; several members preferred a single, continuous installation. Given the low bid climate and timing concerns, the council approved awarding the base Railroad Avenue work to North Valley, Inc. and separately approved a 13-month agreement with the two property owners that waives assessment if they meet city specifications and a signed agreement.
Council said the arrangement will be memorialized in a written agreement drafted by staff and returned for final signatures; staff also noted remaining punch-list and warranty steps with the contractor.
The contract award and sidewalk agreement aim to move the street project forward while offering a path for property owners to avoid assessments if they meet the agreed schedule and specs.
