Council to consider Knife River change order for visitor-center parking and IT backup expansion

Staff asked the council to authorize a change order to Knife River for completion of the visitor-center parking lot, citing mobilization and temporary-facility savings. The contract modification was quoted at $135,000 and would keep the work within allowable change limits under state procurement rules. "We were given a quote of $135,000," staff said, noting that using the current on-site contractor saves re-mobilization and bidding costs.

Separately, IT staff requested an expansion of OpenText server backup storage from 8 TB to 11 TB (an additional $17,705) so the city can retain 30 days of backups and avoid recurring overage charges. IT told the council the system currently averages 9.5–10 TB of data and the additional capacity reduces monthly incremental fees.

Staff recommended authorization of both items for the upcoming council meeting. The council asked clarifying questions about scope and negotiated pricing and expressed support for including both items on the consent/regular agenda for a formal vote.