Adopting a Resolution awarding a contract to Fitzgerald Excavating & Trucking in the amount of $3,620,113 for Sanitary Sewer Extension West Zumbro WZ-22 -1058- Project No. J7862.

The Sanitary Sewer Master Plan identified a future sewer extension to serve lands north and south of Country Club Rd W in the West Zumbro Sewershed. In 2025, Pulte Homes of Minnesota, LLC (Pulte) requested that the City advance the sewer extension to support its development timeline. ML Group, which owns land east of 45th Ave SW, also expressed interest in the extension to serve its proposed development. Through coordination among RPU Water, Public Works, and the benefiting landowners, staff identified an opportunity to construct the sanitary sewer and drinking water extensions as one project.

Staff recommended that Council support the request and authorize a professional services contract with WHKS to design the project and prepare the bid documents. Council approved the recommendation at its September 8, 2025, meeting.  

The project includes sanitary sewer and watermain extensions. The water main will be extended from its current location near County Road 22 to 45th Ave SW, following the sanitary sewer route. The benefiting landowners will fund the water extension through a contribution agreement with RPU Water. Pulte will extend the water main through the remainder of its development.

The sanitary sewer will extend from its current location near County Road 22, across 45th Ave SW, and through the lands included in the Pulte General Development Plan. Sewer will also be extended north of Country Club Rd W to allow removal of the private lift station serving the Fox Ridge Townhomes. See the attached project location map for additional details.

Additional downstream sewer improvements will eventually be needed to accommodate full development of the West Zumbro Sewershed. However, the existing system has sufficient capacity to serve the foreseeable development.

WHKS completed the design and bid documents for Sanitary Sewer Extension West Zumbro WZ-22-1058, Project No. J7862. The project was advertised for bids on August 1, 2026, and the following bids were received on August 25, 2026:

1. Fitzgerald Excavating & Trucking                              $3,620,113

2. ICON, LLC                                                                 $3,729,970

3. Elcor Construction, Inc                                              $3,788,291.31

4. Geislinger & Sons, Inc                                               $4,245,742

5. A-1 Excavating LLC                                                   $4,293,007

6. Rachel Contracting, LLC                                            $4,347,421

7. S  R  Weidema, Inc                                                    $4,360,327.50

8. S M  Hentges & Son, Inc                                            $4,729,000

9. Heselton Construction                                                $5,081,474

10. Minger Construction Company Inc                           $6,320,000

11. Meyer Contracting Inc                                               $6,610,251.65

Engineers Estimate:                                                         $3,890,710

The apparent low bid is $3,620,113, which is $270,597, or 7.0%, below the engineer’s estimate. The Public Works Department recommends that the Council award the project to the apparent low bidder.  Construction is scheduled to start on or after September 14, 2026, and is expected to be substantially completed by November 1, 2027.

This project is aligned with the Council's priority of Economic Vibrancy & Growth Management by expanding trunk sewers to allow future development to occur. The Sanitary Sewer Master Plan identifies the sewers that need to be improved or extended for development in the West Zumbro Sewershed.

June 1, 2020: Council Meeting - The Sanitary Sewer Master Plan was approved.

September 8, 2025: Council Meeting - Contract with WHKS for design services for J7862 was approved.

The project is part of the Sanitary Sewer Trunk Line Extension and Upsizing in the 2026-2031 Sewer and Water Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Map No. 2 and is funded by the Sewer Utility and RPU-Water. RPU-Water has executed contribution agreements with developers that will benefit from the project to reimburse RPU-Water for the costs to extend the watermain. The full project budget is $4,706,146.90 with engineering, interest, and contingencies added to the $3,620,113.00 construction contract.

No alternative actions are suggested at this time.