Kandiyohi awarded $4.17 million for water treatment plant; engineers expect contracts in December

Mayor Jon Lindstrand reported that the City of Kandiyohi has been awarded $4,167,900 in Congressionally Directed Spending for the water treatment plant project, an award he said could move the project forward by about five years and help limit future water rate increases.

The award, announced at the Nov. 17 council meeting, was credited by Lindstrand to U.S. Representative Michelle Fischbach and U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar for their support. "The City of Kandiyohi has been awarded $4,167,900 in Congressionally Directed Spending for the water treatment plant project," Lindstrand said.

Jon Pauna of Moore Engineering gave an update on related infrastructure work, saying the federal government has reopened and Moore Engineering and city staff have moved contractual items forward. "Final contract documents will be ready for Council consideration and signature at the December Council meeting," Pauna said. He added that the change order for the water tower project, which had been contingently approved about two months earlier, can now be formally executed.

Pauna said updated project information will be submitted to applicable state agencies after January to keep scoring and cost estimates current, and that an assessment hearing for a street project will be scheduled after the holidays once key timelines are finalized.

Why it matters: the award accelerates a multiyear infrastructure project with potential rate impacts for residents. The council did not take final contract action on Nov. 17; Pauna indicated formal contract consideration and signature are expected at the December meeting.

The council also recorded project-related Phase I costs for engineering services and ongoing claims in the meeting minutes. The city plans next steps through the December agenda and subsequent state agency coordination.