Akeley awards Paul's Patio restroom contract to Rock Solid after seven sealed bids

The Akeley City Council awarded the construction contract for new public restrooms at Paul's Patio to Rock Solid after opening seven sealed bids on Nov. 5 and reviewing them with their engineering consultant.

Council considered seven bids ranging from $167,420 to $296,533.99 before directing staff to have Moore Engineering review the lowest proposals. On Nov. 12 the council voted to award the contract to Rock Solid for the amount shown in the bid documents and authorized staff to move forward with contract execution and scheduling.

The council said the project will be paid with a combination of community project donations, a $10,000 commitment from First National Bank North, other local donations already accepted by council resolutions, and expected grant reimbursements. Kristi Kath, the city hall administrator, told the council the city has received a $5,000 donation from the Paul Bunyan Historical Society and additional fundraising is ongoing to cover costs above what grant reimbursements will provide.

Moore Engineering reviewed the bid documents and advised the council on completeness; the council required the usual bonding and insurance documents before awarding the work. Councilor Bobbie Wosika and other members emphasized the need for clear lines of communication between the contractor and the city during construction; the council also requested a regular point of contact for day-to-day oversight while the project is underway.

The city previously approved revised design drawings from Emcon that removed a family restroom and reduced cost and complexity. The council said the project timeline will be finalized after the contractor submits a signed agreement and schedule.

The council’s action followed the Nov. 5 bid opening and the Nov. 12 council meeting at Akeley City Hall, where the council reviewed written bids and solicited the engineer's review prior to awarding the contract. The council did not record a roll-call tally in the minutes beyond recording the motion and its approval.