The city of Marthasville last week selected KJU Inc. to build a dam and retention basin at Rusche Park for $60,882.
KJU, out of Washington, submitted the lowest bid for the cost of …
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The city of Marthasville last week selected KJU Inc. to build a dam and retention basin at Rusche Park for $60,882.
KJU, out of Washington, submitted the lowest bid for the cost of construction. Four other companies submitted construction bids ranging from $70,600 to about $193,800, according to project engineers from Cochran Engineering.
The project will create a half-acre basin in the park north of Highway D, which city officials say will control water runoff and flooding during heavy rain. The work will also create opportunities for future park improvements such as walking trails.
Cochran Engineering’s cost estimate for the Rusche Park project was over $167,000. Engineer David Van Leer said two bidders, KJU and Kelpe Contracting, submitted bids substantially below that mark. He said both bids appeared to meet project requirements.
“I’m glad to see there was two bids significantly below the others. If we only had one and everybody else was higher, that would be a little more of a concern,” Van Leer commented. “KJU and Kelpe were a little more aggressive on the bid. I think they also took some risks that the other contractors did not take on their bids.”
The four other bids on the Rusche Park project were:
• Kelpe Contracting — $70,660
• Lamke Trenching and Excavating — $147,351
• Fischer Grading — $158,000
• JTL Landscaping — $193,835
Van Leer recommended awarding the project to KJU. He said he spoke with the company about how its bid would meet the needs of the project, and everything was accounted for.
Weather permitting, KJU will probably begin construction the first week of December and hopes to have most of the dirt moved within two weeks, Van Leer said.
“With some good weather, they can get this done and not really have to worry about spring rains coming in,” Van Leer said.
Aldermen voted 3-0, with Dan Grafrath absent, to award the project to KJU Inc. at $60,882.
Aldermen also voted to pay for half of the project costs using the city’s capital improvement fund, and half using a separately managed fund for Rusche Park improvements. Alderman Nick Lange suggested splitting the costs, saying he didn’t want the city to deplete the Rusche Park fund.
