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Board approves 2026 directional‑boring contract to improve reliability in Highview Meadows
Summary
The board approved staff's recommendation to award the 2026 directional‑boring bid to replace aging underground cable, prioritizing a two‑phase East Division project to reduce outages in Highview Meadows and Royal Oaks; seven bids were received, with the low bid in the low $700,000s and the high around $1.8 million.
The Utility Advisory Board voted to approve staff's recommendation to award the 2026 directional‑boring contract for underground electric work. Wayne, the presenting staff member, outlined a multi‑year program to replace aging 1970s–1980s underground cable, extend city fiber and conduit for future SCADA connections, and convert overhead lines to underground where warranted. "This is a 2‑year project. So, this year will be phase one of that," Wayne said, and he singled out the East Division/Highview Meadows work as the year's top priority to improve reliability.
Staff said seven contractors bid on the work; bids ranged from the low $700,000s up to about $1.8 million, while the CIP budget anticipated mid‑$1.5 million. Board members asked about cable lifespans (staff said 30–50 years depending on manufacturer), project scope in specific neighborhoods and a minor arithmetic error in a bid worksheet (staff acknowledged an input mistake but confirmed the total bid figure was correct). A motion to approve the resolution was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.
