Redmond council approves Skanska CM/GC, street preservation contracts, evidence building and $800,000 radio purchase

At its April 14 meeting, the Redmond City Council approved a series of contract actions that staff said will advance airport, street and public‑safety projects.

Airport CM/GC and Quick Turnaround Facility: Zach Bass, Redmond Airport director, described a Quick Turnaround Facility to centralize car‑rental support functions (automatic wash, detail bays, fueling, and parking). Staff recommended awarding the construction manager/general contractor contract to Skanska US Building Inc.; the council moved, seconded and approved a motion to award the CM/GC contract and authorized the city manager to sign the agreement.

Street preservation contracts: Public Works Operations Manager Ryan Kirchner presented two bid awards for street preservation. Doolittle Construction was the low responsive bidder for the chip and slurry seal maintenance work, bid at $1,212,000 (project TR2601‑001) covering roughly 4 miles of chip seal on arterials and 15 miles of slurry seal on residential streets. Granite Construction was the low bidder for a grind and inlay preservation project on 5th Street at $268,268.40. Councilors noted the bids were below the engineer’s estimate; staff said pricing is locked and expressed confidence in the contractors. The council approved both awards and authorized the city manager to sign the contracts.

Evidence storage building (Contract Review Board): Scott Brang, procurement manager, presented staff findings and recommended use of an alternative contracting method and award to Central Builders to construct a 4,000‑square‑foot evidence storage building adjacent to the public safety facility. Brang said staff advertised the proposed alternative contracting approach starting April 1 and had received no protests; the council authorized the use of the method and the contract with Central Builders for $494,150.

Police radios: Chief Devin Lewis described field testing of three radio systems and recommended Motorola Solutions for statewide coverage and local building penetration; staff proposed a cooperative NASPO contract for the purchase. The council approved an $800,000 contract to replace 70 portable radios and 24 mobile vehicle radios, including a three‑year warranty.

Votes at a glance: - Award CM/GC contract (Quick Turnaround Facility) to Skanska US Building Inc.; motion carried by voice vote (authorized city manager to sign). - Award slurry and chip seal contract to Doolittle Construction (not to exceed $1,212,000); motion carried by voice vote. - Award grind & inlay contract to Granite Construction (not to exceed $268,268.40); motion carried by voice vote. - Approve alternative contracting method and award evidence storage building contract to Central Builders for $494,150; motion carried by voice vote. - Approve Motorola Solutions radio replacement contract for $800,000 (70 portables, 24 mobile radios); motion carried by voice vote.

Public comment and other business: A public commenter, Shay Coda, urged county and legislative attention to community drug‑awareness and recovery programming for youth and families and offered to provide lived‑experience workshops. Councilors shared staff recognitions, community event notices including a May 9 cemetery cleanup honoring veterans, and a brief update on a staff member recovering from a medical incident. The mayor then adjourned the meeting.

What to watch next: Staff will return with a guaranteed maximum price for the airport project and will follow up on warranty/repair details for the radio purchase upon request.