Council approves change orders for new city hall; staff say project near completion

The St. Peter City Council on Monday approved four change orders for the new city hall project, with staff saying the work is largely finished though some technical installations remain.

City Administrator Todd told the council the change orders represent roughly 95–98% of outstanding work and that the project has exceeded its contingency by about $6,000. He said roughly $40,000 of the additional cost relates to repairs after a lightning strike that damaged smoke and fire alarm systems; staff recommended incorporating that work into the prime contract to maintain system integration across the single building.

Todd said the city remains on schedule for the remaining technology and furniture installations but noted the project is temporarily held up by fiber provisioning: the city needs a higher-standard collocation to accommodate secure court, law enforcement and state traffic on its network, so previously available fiber options used by nearby organizations are not suitable without additional measures.

Council also approved adding one full-time equivalent custodial/maintenance position to the facilities division, a role budgeted in the 2026 budget to cover increased square footage at the new city hall and to reduce reliance on contract labor for project-related work.

The council approved the resolutions by voice vote. Staff said they will notify council members when a firm move date is set and that additional tours of the new facility will be arranged.

Why it matters: The city hall project is the municipality’s largest near-term capital project; the change orders and staffing adjustment aim to ensure the building is completed, secured and maintained without repeated contracting for routine needs.

What’s next: Staff will finalize outstanding technology and fiber work, set a move date, and manage project closeout procedures.