Culbertson council pursues alternate delivery, selects project manager as pool bathhouse moves from bid to construction

Council members discussed the pool bathhouse project across multiple meetings in 2025 as bids and budget realities reshaped the town’s approach. In March, staff reported three bids for the pool bathhouse with the lowest bid from Carland Construction at $948,500; council discussed options including reducing the building size, rebidding, accepting the bid, or acting as general contractor.

At a March 20 special meeting the council rejected all bids because the lowest came in roughly $300,000 over budget and voted to pursue an Alternate Project Delivery (APD) contract. The council approved Resolution 532 to authorize the APD procurement path. In an April 10 special session the council approved a motion appointing Dave Geib with Geib Construction as the bathhouse project manager.

Construction activity followed: the council reported a groundbreaking on May 18; blocks were ordered, temporary power was installed, and foundation work began in early June. Town staff reported an electrical-panel issue that will require coordination with MDU for new service.

In late August the council approved Resolution 538 to levy $50,000 of a previously approved $75,000 pool bathhouse mill levy for the 2025–2026 tax year. At the September meeting council members reported that, if the project remains on budget after the levy collection, there would be an estimated $37,437.31 surplus available for non‑construction expenses.

All formal motions on the project recorded in the minutes carried with no objections; specific vote tallies were not recorded. Council repeatedly instructed staff to coordinate with WWC during procurement reviews and to pursue IFE and grant compliance where relevant for projects tied to FAA grants and other funding.

What happens next: council minutes show the town moved from traditional bidding to APD with a named project manager and active construction on the foundation; the council also set aside levy funding. Future council actions will include continued contract management, coordination on the electrical service issue, and budget monitoring as construction proceeds.