Truesdale aldermen last week awarded the city hall expansion and renovation project contract to T.S. Banze Construction for $233,211.

The Warrenton-based contractor submitted the lowest bid of the nine received by the city for constructing a 34-foot, 6-inch by 30-foot, 6-inch addition to the west of the existing city hall structure.

Banze’s base bid was $230,361, with an additional $16,000 in alternates to be included to cover areas such as replacing the existing windows, siding, gutters, downspouts and soffit.

However, after reviewing the bid package and specifications, Banze was able to deduct $13,150 from the original base bid. Aldermen reviewed the revised figures at last Wednesday’s board meeting and unanimously approved separate motions to accept the bid and an ordinance authorizing a contract.

The areas where cost savings were realized included changing some of the electrical service, pouring concrete rather than using concrete blocks in the storage room and using Romax wire in place of electrical conduit.

The city has $250,000 budgeted for the project.

“I’m happy with the fact we have the ordinance passed and a contract accepted,” Mayor Murray Bruer said. “I’m happy with the contractor we selected. We have past experience with him and he does good work. I guess my only wish is, if we had done this a year ago. I think we could have saved more money in that regard. But who knows, that’s water under the bridge. I’m certainly glad everyone is on board.

“I’m happy that we’re at the final stages and we can get construction started.”

The current city hall will be renovated to include separate evidence and interview rooms and the relocation of the public restroom. The chamber area will remain in the same location.

The 1,035-foot addition includes separate offices for the city clerk, treasurer and mayor along with a break room and storage room. Space also would be available for a receptionist, a need city officials agreed  they would like to see in the future.

Once the contract is finalized, the contractor will have 150 days to complete the project, according to Brian Gentges, of Cochran Engineering. He expects work to be finished within 100 days though.

Work will begin on the new addition to allow offices to be moved before the current structure is renovated.

Bruer said a bigger facility will allow records currently stored in the city shed to be relocated back at city hall. He also pointed out how the police department will be more segregated from other city staff.

“I think this is going to be a good 20-25 years before we have to address the situation again,” he said.

In February, Bruer reinitiated talks on the need to see the expansion proceed after months of inaction on the issue. The board then voted in March to proceed with the project.

It was a reversal of sorts from action taken in August when the board voted 4-0 to delay any expansion plans due to officials disagreeing on the cost and size of the project.

Though he showed support in awarding the contract one week after voting against it, McGee still has his reservations.

“I didn’t want to see us spend that much money,” McGee said. “If we got to have it, we got to have it. It’s bigger than what I wanted.”

Lamb Construction had the second-lowest base bid at $238,000. The remaining seven bids ranged from $243,980 to $298,600. With the alternates, the eight other bids were between $267,100 and $328,169. Bids were opened July 15.

Estimates provided by Cochran Engineering had the 1,035-square-foot addition costing $210,700. With the bid alternates, Cochran’s estimate increased to $230,000.