City of Montrose awards Clement Avenue contract to Knife River, approves emergency response plan and moves to closed session on easements and settlement

The City of Montrose City Council on July 13 awarded the Clement Avenue improvement contract to Knife River Corporation of Sauk Rapids for $1,229,208.40 and approved an emergency response plan and risk and resilience assessment, then voted to enter a closed session to discuss easement offers and a pending legal settlement.

City Engineer Jared Volge told the council six bids were received for the Clement Avenue work and that "the low bid was submitted by Knife River Corporation of Sauk Rapids, Minnesota" for a base bid plus alternate A. He said the low bid is below the original estimated budget of about $2,000,000 and provided a further estimate of roughly $1.34 million for the overall project scope. Councilmember Jackie Knight confirmed the city plans to "pay for the project in cash." The motion to accept the low bid and award the contract to Knife River passed 4-0.

The council also approved an updated emergency response plan and the related risk and resilience assessment. Volge said the Environmental Protection Agency requires these updates every five years for communities above the 3,300-population threshold; the engineer reported the work to complete and submit the plan is estimated at $19,750. He told the council the emergency response plan is due Dec. 30 and the risk and resilience assessment is due earlier than that. The motion to approve the plan and assessment passed 4-0.

After those votes, councilmembers voted to move into a closed session under Minnesota Statute 13D.05 (subd. 3(b) and subd. 3(c)) to "develop and consider offers to purchase easements" for the Clement Avenue project; the mayor read a list of parcel identification numbers targeted for easement discussion. Outside counsel Justin Temple, appointed by the League of Minnesota Cities, asked the council to also enter closed session to discuss a potential settlement in litigation brought by the Herzogs against the city. A motion to close the public meeting was made, seconded and approved 4-0; the audience was asked to step out.

What happens next: with the contract award and plan approvals completed, staff will proceed with contract execution and the engineering schedule; the council held private negotiations on easements and the potential settlement during the closed session.