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Council awards $1.05 million Skywalk improvements contract after bridge debate
Summary
The council designated Mentor Inc. as lowest responsible bidder for Skywalk exterior improvements ($1,045,700). A motion to remove a separate 5th Street bridge from the contract failed (2–5), and the contract award passed 7–0; council discussed immediacy of repairs and potential private-sector cost-sharing for a redundant bridge segment.
The Des Moines City Council voted to award a contract for Skywalk exterior improvements to Mentor Inc., with an engineer’s estimate and low-bid designation recorded at $1,045,700. Council considered but rejected a motion to remove a separate 5th Street bridge add-on from the award; that motion failed 2–5. Staff described immediate safety and water-damage concerns and said repairs would be scheduled within weeks if the contract were awarded.
Several council members raised the possibility that private building owners could cover some bridge-related costs or that removing the bridge now would simply defer expense and increase cost if it must be repaired later. Staff noted one bridge repair would cost the city about $73,000 and emphasized urgency. The council ultimately approved the full contract award by a 7–0 vote.
