By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorWright City will spend almost $80,000 more than budgeted to complete another phase of water line replacement projects.Aldermen last week awarded a contract for $195,566 to M&B Construction, Monticello, to complete the work. The company was the lower bidder. A total of five bids were received.The project will replace old 4- and 6-inch water mains with an 8-inch line along Westwoods Road from the North Service Road to the Twiehaus Addition.New water lines also will be installed on Clarence and Aster, officials said.The winning bid includes a base cost of $106,884 to cover the stretch along Westwoods Road and an alternate totaling $88,682 for the new water lines on Clarence and Aster. M&B Construction had performed work in the city a few years ago during an earlier phase.The project estimate was $115,325 for the base bid and $212,871 overall including the alternate.Wehmeyer Farms had the second-lowest bid at $206,465. Other bids were submitted by CJN Products, $222,767; Mick Mehler and Sons, $234,105; and Lamke Trenching and Excavating, $320,593.60.“If you have the money, I would recommend to do it now,” said Bart Korman, an engineer with Lewis-Bade. “All construction prices are inching up, actually they are inclining.”Public Works Director Larry Janish added: “We do have the money for this.”The city had allocated $120,000 in this year’s budget from the water depreciation fund to cover the cost of the project. Other funds, however, are available to allow the city to proceed with the alternate bid.City Treasurer Karen Girondo noted the water depreciation fund has a balance of approximately $390,000 and will be used to cover the additional cost.Janish said he expects work to begin this summer, though no specific date has been set.The water line replacement project was recommended in a study of the city’s infrastructure a few years ago. The improvements are a part of multiple phases that have been completed in recent years, officials said.Wright City