Minnetrista approves $21.33 million water treatment plant contract, declines exterior alternate

The Minnetrista City Council on Monday voted to award the base bid for the new Woodland Cove water treatment plant to Magny Construction, accepting a low base bid of $21,329,000 and declining the larger exterior architectural alternate that would have added about $281,000 to the project.

City engineer Aaron Wulmer told the council that three contractors submitted bids; the low bidder, Magny Construction, included the clear well within the base scope. "Magny Construction was the low bid…$21,329,000," Wulmer said, and staff recommended proceeding with the base bid without removing the exterior clear well. Wulmer also described two bid alternates: an option to remove the external clear well (a roughly 400,000‑gallon storage element) that would reduce cost by about $1.65 million, and a second alternate for additional exterior architectural treatments priced at about $281,000. Staff did not recommend accepting the first alternate and council voted not to add the second.

Wulmer said the revised substantial completion date is Jan. 30, 2028, with final completion projected July 1, 2028, and that ordering equipment and preconstruction work would likely occupy the remainder of this winter ahead of spring construction. He described the plant’s projected capacity and explained the project is intended to address manganese and iron treatment and to meet Minnesota health standards.

Council and staff discussed funding options. City staff said state bonding remains uncertain — a recent year produced no statewide bonding bill — and noted that accepting state funds could require changes such as prevailing‑wage compliance and additional contract requirements that in some cases have increased overall costs on other projects. Staff recommended moving forward rather than waiting for uncertain bonding money because rebidding later could push schedule and increase cost.

Neighbors spoke during a public comment period about the facility’s visual impact and the cost of aesthetic improvements. One resident urged stronger screening and darker colors rather than the full architectural alternate; another said the neighborhood appreciated staff responsiveness during the design process. Councilmembers asked staff to pursue lower‑cost options for improving the plant’s appearance — color choices or limited precast color selections — and agreed to pursue additional plantings and berming. The council instructed staff to work with the contractor on possible cost reductions if any architectural features are to be incorporated.

The council approved resolution 85‑25 (base bid without bid alternate one or two) by a 5–0 voice vote and directed staff to continue discussions about cost‑effective aesthetic mitigation and ongoing attempts to secure outside funding.

What happens next: staff will finalize the contract with Magny Construction and proceed with preconstruction submittals and equipment procurement; construction is scheduled to be substantially complete in time for summer 2028 water use.