Pateros council votes to resubmit well house bid

PATEROS – The contract for construction of Well House No. 4 in the downtown parking area that the city council hoped to award during a special morning meeting last Friday, Feb. 8, will be resubmitted for a second round of bids, said city administrator Jord Wilson.

Even though council members were hoping to see the multi-purpose well house completed in time for Apple Pie Jamboree July 19-21, the process will be repeated after irregularities were discovered in the lowest bud of the six received, Wilson said.

“The lowest bidder did not follow the bidding rules,” said Wilson. “The council could have waived the rules and allowed it, but they decided it was enough of an issue to redo the process and give everyone a fair shot at another bid.”

Repeating the bid process will push the contract award – and the projected well house completion date -- back four weeks. The next meting to award the contract is scheduled for March 7.

The city engineer’s estimate for the well house project is $1.363 million, said Wilson. Once the second round of bids are received, they will be reviewed by the city engineer and referred to the council for its final decision.

Well House No. 3 at Pearl Street was completed late last year and served as command central for the citywide flush last Dec. 18, when the switch was made to the city’s new water system and reservoir.