BIDS $1 MILLION HIGHER ON
WATER TREATMENT PLANT/FIRE STATION ADDITION
Bids came in on the proposed water treatment facility and fire station expan-sion, and the fact that they were $1 million higher than estimated gave way to difficult discussion, with no decision at this time as to how to proceed. 
Should the city try to come up with another $1 million and build the facility as proposed in the bid plan?  Should the city cut $1 million in amenities proposed for the joint facility?  Should the city redesign the project and put it out for bids again?
Stated City Engineer Jack Griffin of TKDA, "We have all three bid packages tabulated.  They came in very high com-pared to estimates.  Six bids came in.  The numbers were closer to $9.3 million versus $8.3 million.  The bond of $9.5 million was based on $8.3 million.  The total package is now at $10.6 million."
After a presentation from Vern Jacob-son, senior engineer with TKDA, at a council workshop on September 23rd --about how the extra million could be captured by raising water rates, escalating the water core charge, and budgeting  for 200 new homes per year rather than 125 new homes per year -- councilmembers responded.
Stated Councilmember Mary Thun, "That's a big mess.  How did that happen? ... The whole thing is built on the assump-tion that we will grow ... We are speculat-ing on our growth ... We have not ap-proved any preliminary plats for any of that land out in the township ... I'm very uncomfortable borrowing into the future.  We're struggling now to pay for the field house.  In my estimation, we've got $9 million bonded to spend and that's it! ... If I'm going to treat city funds like my own personal money, this project is too expen-sive.  We have bonded for $9 million.  The facility will still look good at that price ... I also want the fire department to get what they absolutely need.  I just want us to live within our means right now ... I like to be fiscally conservative and end up with money to spend."
Stated Councilmember Terry Bishop in agreement, "If we don't grow, we can't pay for this ... When my son asks me to buy him a car, I can't afford a BMW."
Engineer Griffin pointed out, "It's been five years since a rate increase."
Of the option to increase rates and finance the facility as proposed in the current bid package, Mr. Jacobson said to councilmembers, "I wouldn't lose any sleep over it."
Replied Mayor Jerry Bohn, "You're the same guys that missed it by a million dollars!"
Dean Johnson, architect with TKDA, stated, "I'm guilty.  I had a couple of numbers that didn't come out right.  We actually sought some outside help with sources and general contractors.  It's my fault on some low unit costs, which escalate to a big number on a large project such as this.  The bottom line is that our estimates were low due to climate, cost, and materials."
He said that there are "deduct alter-nates" in the bid packages, almost all of them related to the fire station.
Some of the possible "deducts" on the fire station portion of the project were mentioned as follows:  replacement of the leaky fire station roof, lighting improve-ments, a 500-pound hoist to lift things between the two levels, new concrete in front of the building, the bell stand and memorial monument, the south bay, the multi-purpose training room, some plumbing and the laundry tub, an air conditioning unit, a copper fill line for tankers, a retaining wall in back of the fire station, accent lighting and some flood lighting, new concrete apron and exterior pavement, the rebuilding of the east drive-way entrance, the move detector to make the door close automatically, glass doors on the existing fire station, the emergency generator, and some pumping capacity.
Stated Mayor Bohn, "All of the deducts are really beyond the scope of the water treatment facility.  Those items should come out of the fire station fund.  The fire department has to go out and get their own funding for these things ... Why are we putting on a million dollars to the fire station?  How much can it cost to put on a new roof? ... You're trying to sneak it in under a water treatment plant.  A bond counsel has told us very clearly that we can't do that."
Replied Councilmember Richard Tieden, "Nobody sneaked anything in.  It was all approved by the council.  We talked about these things ... We knew we were building [the water treatment plant] next to a fire station in ill repair.  This is our responsibility.  If we do it all now, it'll be a lot cheaper in the long run ... We've got hundreds of speculators that say Victoria is going to grow.  There's no reason to believe that we're not going to have 300 units per year coming in.  We have to consider growth.  If we're not growing, we're going backwards.  Also, in the next five years, we're going to need these things ... I have faith in our city and faith in our growth."

Later in the council meeting, Mayor Bohn said, "I think we're put in a tough spot here.  We have a difficult situation.  Do we bond for another million dollars or borrow from our core fund or redesign and rebid?  He asked if the water treat-ment plant could be built separately from the fire station, but there was mention of a "clear well" making separation difficult.
According to City Administrator Steve Sarvi, a clear well will be construct-ed underneath the water treatment plant as an in-ground storage facility, sort of a holding tank before treated water is pumped out to the water tower.
Stated Steve Sarvi, "I think council needs to roll up their sleeves and put on their thinking caps and come up with the solution.  You're got 60 days to respond to the bids."
Steve added there is a considerable amount of staff work also necessary to prepare for the next workshop on the situation. "We can't do it in one week," he said.

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