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Council presses staff as 2026 waterline bids come in over budget; questions on timing, contingencies and grants
Summary
Council held a long first-reading discussion about 2026 waterline replacement bids that exceeded estimates. Staff attributed higher prices mainly to trucking and fuel surcharges for excavation-heavy work; council asked about splitting bids, sequencing with SRP reconstruction and grant deadlines and requested a contingency report before final action.
At first reading on April 13, council discussed a set of 2026 waterline projects whose bid results were significantly higher than budgeted. Staff told council several waterline unit prices look normal but that excavation-heavy work requires substantial trucking and can trigger fuel surcharges, which contributed to the higher totals. "Every indication we can see is that it is attributed to the fuel price increases," a staff member said.
Council members asked whether rebidding or splitting projects would help. Staff cautioned that rebidding could be unpredictable and noted grant timing and the need to sequence Beverly Road work with a planned street-reconstruction project. One council member observed the package was roughly $900,000 over previous predictions and asked staff to present the CIP contingency position at the next meeting so council could understand cascading impacts.
Staff described options for delaying elements of the program but emphasized grant-funded components (Zollinger Road) and the desire to keep certain projects paired to avoid repeat street disruption. Council asked staff to prepare a short report showing contingency usage and the potential effects of delaying or splitting work, to inform the next vote.
Next steps: Staff will return with additional analysis on contingency availability, the consequences of delaying specific projects (including grant implications for Zollinger Road), and a recommendation for award timing.
