Minutes - Council - 10/11/2016 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Councilmember Kuzma asked if the low bidder believes that they have won the bid. Asst. City Administrator/Economic Development Manager Brama stated that the contract has not been awarded as that would be done by the Council and therefore the contractor is aware of the process. He stated that it could be a perception that the low bidder would be on track to receive the project, but the contractor is aware that the Council makes the final decision. Councilmember Kuzma stated that as a small business owner he would support re -bid because of the error. Motion by Councilmember Kuzma, seconded by Councilmember LeTourneau, to adopt Resolution #16-10-196 Rejecting all Bids for the Ramsey Municipal Complex Site Demolition. Further discussion: Councilmember Riley stated that he does not disagree with the motion but he was also concerned with the perception that the City does not know how to run a bid. He stated that the City has received a very favorable bid and he was concerned with rejecting that bid and the alternate perception that could create. Mayor Strommen stated that while she does not disagree with that comment she believes that the Council needs to remedy this situation that the City is in. Councilmember LeTourneau also agreed with the comments. He stated that the City has made a mistake and there is liability and risk involved, but believed that this would be the high road and from the core value perspective, the City should reject the bids and re -bid to ensure that the process has been fair. He stated that for the Council to accept the bid would mean that the Council does not believe and support the core values. He believed that the City would be perceived as being better for taking this route. Motion carried. Voting Yes: Mayor Strommen, Councilmembers Kuzma, LeTourneau, Riley, and Williams. Voting No: None. Absent: Councilmembers Johns and Shryock. 7.04: Adopt Resolution #16-10-193 Accepting Bids and Awarding Contract for Improvement Project #16-98, Central Park Parking Lot Improvements City Engineer Westby reviewed the staff report and recommendation to adopt Resolution # 16- 10-193 accepting bids and awarding a contract for construction for Improvement Project #16-98, Central Park Parking Lot Improvements, and authorizing an additional expenditure up to $15,000 from the Park Improvement Trust Fund for irrigation repairs and rain garden landscaping. Councilmember LeTourneau stated that he was surprised to hear that the Engineer's Estimate was the lower estimate and asked why that would happen now, as it has been the reverse lately. He asked if the placement of the season resulted in the higher price and, if so, would it be better to re -bid in the spring. City Engineer Westby stated that the City has been receiving good bids all summer long and they had heard that contractors were still hungry for work before the end of the year. He stated that staff was hopeful that favorable bids would be received but noted that speculative bidding could be a factor, as bituminous and concrete can increase in price. He stated that accepting the project City Council / October 11, 2016 Page 8 of 10