City awards sand shed project bid

Kalsipell City Council has awarded the bid for the sand shed project to Outback Construction for the amount of $190,000.

The project will replace a “dilapidated” storage shed that currently houses sand and gravel for the city’s roads and emergency repairs.

Though the lowest bid exceeded the civil engineer’s original estimate by about $80,000, seven out of the eight council members approved the motion in a meeting at City Hall on Monday evening.

Funding options considered included re-budgeting for the project in 2018 and getting new bids in the fall or using the funds set aside for a Forest Service project that was postponed.

“The need is there to replace this shed,” said Kalispell Public Works Director Susie Turner.

According to Turner, there is enough funding to finance the project this year, and she recommended the council award the bid.

Tim Kluesner was the only councilor to vote against the bid, saying he did not feel like it was “fiscally responsible” to spend double the budgeted amount.

“It does give you heartburn when you look at the original engineer’s estimate,” councilor Rod Kuntz said.

However, he expressed more concern about the estimation process than the bid.

A motion to amend the 911 Center Inter-local Agreement died in the council for lack of a second.

The council expressed concern that the 911 Center board made none of the changes they suggested in previous work sessions. Those suggestions included a change in the time of board meetings to the evening to allow members of the council and the public to attend, and the removal of an unelected member currently sitting on the 911 Center board.

“In order for us to participate and have a voice with this inter-local agreement, we need to have a seat at the table,” council member Phil Guiffrida said. “If we’re not going to have our suggestions entertained, and basically be told to pound sand, then right back at you, as far as I’m concerned.”

The council will move forward with the unamended version of the inter-local agreement.

Reporter Mary Cloud Taylor can be reached at 758-4459 or mtaylor@dailyinterlake.com.