The Muni is not for sale.
The Muni is not for sale.
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by Trinity Gruenberg
The Verndale City Council held their regular meeting on December 10.
A public hearing was held before the meeting to consider the final levy collectible in 2019 and the final 2019 budget.
Water project
Joeb Oyster with Moore Engineering shared they opened bids Thursday morning and the bids came in a little higher than expected. They were expecting $3.1 million and are up to $3.7 million for the well and water tower project. A 20 year term would be $53.49 user rate per month based on the average user, total. A 30 year would be $49.50 total. The current average is around $38. The council approved the 20 year plan.
Oyster said they won’t see any large savings with a re-bid.
“It was a good turnout. We got six to seven bids on one and eight bids on the other. People put in a lot of effort to get their bids together,” said Oyster.
The bids were awarded to Eagle Construction out of Little Falls for Part A, the treatment plant and well and J&J Excavating out of Staples for Part B for underground piping for sewer and water. Both are contingent on PFA finalizing funding.
Oyster has no contract for the water tower, yet.
Oyster spoke to the county and they approved to discharge water in a ditch by County Road 104.
Tanner Enberg spoke to the council about tearing the house down on the water tower site. The council decided not to go out for bids since it’s under the legal limit.
“I would like to try and do it by the end of the year because landfill rates are going to go up. That all depends on if we get a couple of decent days, though,” said Enberg.
Enberg explained that tearing the house down will take about two days and the hole will be filled with clean fill sand. He will save the pine trees and cap the sewer. Minnesota Power has been contacted and they will disconnect the lines to the house.
The council will approve with a written bid of $15,500. . . .