Story County opens bids for ditch cleanout; Nelson Drainage read as low bidder at $823,170

Story County officials opened contractor bids for a ditch cleanout project in Drainage District 11, and Scott Wall, the county drainage clerk, read the submissions aloud and identified the lowest dollar figure.

"I'm Scott Wall, the drainage clerk," Wall said as he began the bid-opening and told those present he would group and read the bids. Wall read bids from multiple contractors and stated the lowest dollar amount announced was $823,170 from Nelson Drainage.

Wall read the following bids aloud: CJ Moina and Sons (Elkader, Iowa) — $1,676,400; 605 Companies (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) — $1,746,615; Gherkin Incorporated (Ogura, Iowa) — $974,890; OnTrack Construction LLC — $1,277,280; Roussel Excavating (Burke, Iowa) — $1,179,805; Hands On Excavating — $1,768,471.50; LA Carlson Contracting (Hinton, Iowa) — $1,088,000; and Nelson Drainage — $823,170. Two bidders announced in the record (Newark Incorporated and Anderson Drainage and Excavation) did not have clear dollar amounts in the transcript.

Wall said the bids will be sent to "boardman bank" for the bank to check the figures "for accuracy and completeness" before the board examines them. He initially said there were seven bids and later stated there were eight; the transcript records both statements.

The board will meet to consider awarding a contract on Monday, May 18, at 6 p.m., Wall said. No formal award or vote occurred during the bid-opening itself; the reading of bids is a procedural step that precedes staff review and any later board action.

At this stage, bidders, their bid bonds (noted during the reading), and the dollar figures are a matter of public record from the bid-opening. The county has scheduled review of the submissions before any decision is made.