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Board awards courthouse freight-elevator replacement to low bidder after bids come in well over estimate
Summary
Woodbury County accepted a low bid of $511,300 from L&L for the courthouse freight-elevator replacement after three bids arrived well above the $360,000 estimate; county staff discussed timeline, election‑period risks and possible funding options to cover the shortfall.
The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to award the courthouse freight‑elevator replacement contract to the low bidder, L&L, after staff reported three bids that substantially exceeded the county’s original estimate.
Kenny Schmitz, building services, said the county had budgeted about $360,000 for the project but received three competitive bids: HCI for $519,000; L&L for $511,300 (low); and Nelson Construction for $525,780. Schmitz recommended awarding the work to L&L and asked the board to receive the bids.
Schmitz explained the anticipated procurement timeline: the elevator subcontractor (identified by the bidder as Schumacher Elevator) estimated about six months to receive parts from order and an additional eight to 10 weeks for on‑site installation. He also warned of reliability concerns with the existing freight elevator and the risk that it could be unavailable during elections.
"I think it's a risk…especially probably during election time to try to move the voting machines," Schmitz said, noting the county has been operating the existing freight elevator only on an as‑needed basis and that service contractors have refused to operate it under current conditions.
Ryan Erickson outlined three funding options to cover the difference between the low bid and the county’s prior allocation: use reserves, add the need to the FY27 CIP request, or reallocate underspent LEC demolition CIP dollars pending a public hearing. Erickson estimated the remaining gap could be roughly $150,000–$230,000 depending on prior allocations and remaining architectural fees.
Supervisors discussed mitigation for elections—using public elevators and hiring movers—and asked staff to pursue payment options. On a voice vote the board awarded the contract to L&L and directed staff to finalize contract documents for signatures.
The county will work with the contractor on scheduling to minimize conflicts with upcoming elections and pursue a final funding plan that may include reallocation of underused CIP dollars or reserves.
