×

Gladstone signs contract for 9th Street project

GLADSTONE — The Gladstone City Commission authorized City Manager Eric Buckman to sign a construction contract agreement with Oberstar for the 9th Street project Monday night. The project, which is slated to begin next spring, faced many changes and challenges including how big the project was actually going to be.

The commission awarded Oberstar Inc., of Marquette, the bid for the 9th Street project at its May 20 meeting, however, it included a stipulation not exceeding $3.5 million due to the project being scaled down.

The project was later brought back to its original scope of work in July, meaning the change order had to be revised by the commission to the amount of Oberstar’s original bid of $4,324,009.50.

“We put off signing the contract until we were sure what we are going to do and we put the project back to its original scope,” Buckman said.

He added Oberstar had already signed the contract.

Scott Nowack, of Coleman Engineering Co., based out of Iron Mountain, explained although the contract was not signed by the city yet, Oberstar still had the project on its schedule.

The Gladstone City Commission unanimously approved the authorization of Buckman to sign the contract with Oberstar for the original scope of the project.

After the contract is signed by Buckman, Oberstar will have to agree to the project being reverted back to the original scope and price again, which Nowack said they had already verbally agreed to.

The project includes a total reconstruction of 9th Street — including work on storm drains, water lines and sewer lines from Minneapolis Avenue to 4th Avenue — as well as work on other streets, avenues and alleys. The work on 9th Street will also include work on some of the sidewalks and an addition of a bike lane.

The 9th Street project will encompass parts of 9th Street, Delta North and South alleys, 6th Street, Superior Avenue, 11th Street, the alley between Minneapolis and Wisconsin avenues, 3rd Avenue, 8th Street, Superior Avenue, and the sanitary sewer on 4th Street.

The 9th Street project is within the Downtown Development Authority’s district, so the DDA is covering the cost of 70 percent of the project and the city is covering the remaining 30 percent, which includes a special assessment.

To fund the project, the DDA and city have looked into a 15-year, $4.8 million capital improvement bond through Robert W. Baird & Co., an American multi-national independent investment bank and financial services company based out of Milwaukee.

In other business, the commission:

– approved the city commission 2020 meeting dates. The commission will again meet yhe second and fourth Monday of each month at 6 p.m unless noted. The meeting on May 25, 2020 is canceled due to it being Memorial Day.

– appointed Mayor Joe Thompson and Commissioner Greg Styczynski to be on the union negotiation team with Buckman. Union negotiations will begin soon for all unions.

– appointed Stacie Carter to the Parks and Recreation Board.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today