Council approves $360,000 Strand Associates agreement for Alarmon lift station; one council member objects

The Watertown Common Council voted on July 15 to enter an agreement with Strand Associates Inc. for engineering and related services on the Alarmon Lift Station and force-main modifications, Task Order 205-2, for $360,000. Alderman Arnett moved the resolution and Alderman Molinehauer seconded; the motion passed with a single recorded no vote from Alderman Berg.

During discussion, Alderman Berg questioned whether the city had obtained competing quotes for the engineering portion of the work. Berg said the dollar amount warranted competitive comparison: "that dollar amount... just seem to warrant, a competitive bid to reassure us of that amount," and said he could not see an alternate presented in the packet.

Public works staff responded that Strand Associates had been involved with the project from earlier phases, including assistance with the Clean Water Fund loan application, and that no alternate firms were presented at this step because the work was a follow-on to prior contract phases. Staff said the actual construction work would be contracted separately at a later stage.

The resolution authorizes the Strand task order; the council recorded the vote with one dissenting vote. No additional conditions or amendments were added at the meeting; the construction contract and procurement for the physical work will be addressed in subsequent actions.

Motion: adopt resolution to enter agreement with Strand Associates Inc., Alarmon Lift Station & Force Main modifications (Task Order 205-2) for $360,000. Mover: Alderman Arnett. Second: Alderman Molinehauer. Outcome: approved; recorded vote included one no (Alderman Berg).