Council

OKs

design

estimates

Bids could be

opened Dec. 1

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The referendum construction projects rolled into the final phase Tuesday night when the city council approved Rozeboom Miller Architects' design development cost estimates, giving Rozeboom the green light to create construction documents.

At an informational meeting prior to the regular meeting, architect Ted Rozeboom suggested a time line that would have the city advertising for bids around Nov. 1 and opening bids on or about Dec. 1.

He told the council, "we're entering an intense eight to 10 weeks, and there will be no changes beyond this point" with the exception of three sticking items that he felt needed more discussion.

Two contested points involved the Community Center.

"One issue is can we afford to have in-floor piping throughout the building?" The in-floor piping was designed to keep the spectator and common-area warm during hockey events; an alternate would be to just have it in the bleacher area.

The other is the Phase II landscaping at its $32,000 price tag, which was deducted from the design development estimate and listed as an alternate, to be included if the main bid came in low enough to allow for it.

That put the landscaping in the same category as skylight and concourse ceiling finishes listed at $116,000.

"This is the most painful for us," Rozeboom said. "These separate a hockey box from a community center."

Thirdly, he wanted to revisit the food service packaging for the Senior Center and the Community Center. He said it was a full-service packaging for the Senior Center while the service at the Community Center was more "a glorified concessions" package.

After councilors raised questions about having a walk-in cooler at the Community Center, Rozeboom joked that it was good that "we're revisiting that issue."

Rozeboom reported the design development cost estimates had changed slightly from Monday because of some changes in the Senior Center figures.

The estimate prepared by Kraus-Anderson Construction Company of the Twin Cities for the entire project came to $13,550,000. Recommended cost cuts and added bid alternates reduced the estimate to $12,474,000.

The estimate supplied by Heymann Construction of New Ulm totaled $12,515,000, but when the cost reductions and additional bid alternates were applied, that figure dropped to $11,439,000.

"You'll have to remember," Rozeboom said, "the only figure that counts is the $11,731,000 that was budgeted for these projects."

"What's troubling is that we're at around 20 bid alternates, totaling over $1 million, we feel that's going to be a problem come bid time," Rozeboom said. "I feel the best plan is to open bids at one meeting and then allow up to a couple weeks for consideration of the bids because of all the alternates."

In the meantime, the three building committees will prioritize their alternates and supply that information to the committee's councilor member so that information could be used in determining which, if any, alternates should be accepted in the bid analysis phase.

In other action, the council approved the Chamber of Commerce/Convention & Visitors Bureau 2001-2002 budget. It also approved the bureau's request for an increase, from 15 to 20 percent, in the administrative fee the city pays to the bureau.

The council also approved, after the fact as it turned out, the installation of a flag pole in German Park.

"I hope the councilors are willing to approve the installation of the flag pole because it was dedicated last night," said Acting President Joel Albrecht, "for if you don't, they'll have to dig it up."

The council also approved a change in the signage on Payne Street near Jefferson Elementary School shortening the no-parking period from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. on school days, as requested by the Safety Council and District 88 Superintendent Harold Remme.

However, other measures didn't fare so well.

A request from Bob Skillings of Skillings Technology Inc. for a 30-minute, loading and unloading stall on 1st North Street outside his new location at 101 N. Minnesota failed to get staff recommendation and failed to get council approval either.

A resolution approving a dock on the old Pamida building by Steve Farasyn of Farasyn Construction failed because it did not receive a four-fifths approval vote. Council President Dan Beranek was absent and Councilor Ruth Ann Webster abstained.

Finally, a staff request for establishing a leased parking area beside and underneath the Marktplatz Mall failed for lack of a motion and second.

The council has two informational meetings planned for Tuesday, Sept. 4 at the library. The council meets with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Office of Freight, Railroads and Waterways at 5 p.m., and with Dr. Laurel Gamm concerning the Putting Green project at 6 p.m.