Mandan commission approves street projects, accepts cost-share grant and authorizes $2.2M municipal contribution

The Mandan Board of City Commission on March 3 approved multiple infrastructure actions, including accepting a state water commission cost-share award for a reconstruction project near Roosevelt Elementary, authorizing plans and advertisement for bids for Street Improvement Project 3A (Red Trail Elementary), and creating Street Improvement District 243 with an estimated municipal contribution of $2.2 million.

City staff member Jerrick, who presented both the Area 2B reconstruction cost-share and the Project 3A plans, told the commission the state Water Commission approved a 60% cost-share for eligible water-related items and that the city was awarded "nearly $230,000" for preliminary design work around Roosevelt Elementary. "We applied and were awarded nearly 230,000 for this project," Jerrick said during his presentation.

The commission approved the cost-share agreement on motion and roll call. Separately, staff presented substantially completed plans and specifications for Project 3A, described prior public-input meetings and neighborhood outreach, and recommended authorizing advertisement for bids with a proposed bid date of March 27 if approved. Commissioner Sjoberg moved to approve the plans and specifications and to authorize advertisement for bids; the motion passed on roll call.

City staff also recommended creation of Street Improvement District 243 (Mandan Proper Phase 1), describing the project as phase 1 of a four-phase program with prior open houses at 1st Lutheran Church and a follow-up public input meeting scheduled for March 12. Staff said that, if approved, the protest period begins at first publication and would end on April 6. The commission approved the resolution of necessity and related engineers report.

Finally, on a separate motion the commission agreed to contribute an estimated $2,200,000 in municipal infrastructure funds to the project. The clerk recorded the roll-call vote as affirmative for the motion to contribute municipal funds.

Why this matters: The approved cost-share and the municipal contribution fund substantial street, sewer and water improvements that affect neighborhoods near Roosevelt and Red Trail Elementary schools and will determine whether work can proceed on the proposed timeline. Staff described on-site resident representation and engineering inspections to minimize disruptions and said many resident concerns had been addressed during outreach meetings.

Next steps: Letters with estimated special assessments will be mailed to affected property owners following approval, the formal protest period will run through April 6, and staff will proceed with bid advertisement and further community outreach as construction planning continues.