Council asks staff to seek bids and pricing for Russell Street rebuild after bricks found under pavement

Council discussed the long-running Russell Street reconstruction and options after staff reported there were no responsive bids to conventional February bidding.

David Hanley and public works staff said Cathcart Construction offered a new‑brick rebuild at $1,357,225.81; staff said removing one contract element could reduce that to $1,181,572.25. Hanley explained a lower‑cost interim approach — removing the bricks and paving with asphalt — would be roughly $660,000, with salvaged bricks palletized for future use.

Council members expressed concern about the high price and fiscal impact on taxpayers. One councilor said the cost “doubled” since prior discussions and that spending more than $1 million on a single block is difficult to justify without funding. Another emphasized retaining salvageable bricks for future projects and suggested creating a budget line for brick‑street preservation during the next budget cycle.

The council authorized staff to negotiate with Goodwin (a contractor known to staff) for formal pricing and to return to council with a proposal. Staff was directed to identify streets likely to have brick under asphalt and provide cost estimates and funding options, noting that a CDBG grant for Main Street could be constrained if bricks are present under the paved surface.

Next steps: staff will seek formal quotes from Goodwin, inventory candidate streets for brick salvage or preservation, and prepare cost estimates and budget recommendations for council consideration in the next budget cycle.