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Lake dredging bids lower than estimated

EVANSVILLE — Dredging Lake Leota next year will cost a resident with a $100,000 home about $20 less than originally estimated.

The winning bid came in at $885,069, about $1.1 million less than voters approved.

City council members unanimously awarded the project Tuesday night to Integrity Grading & Excavating of Schofield.

Joe Dorava, engineer with Vierbicher Associates who reviewed the bids, said Integrity's bid was aggressive.

"He gave you very good numbers for the work he's doing, especially coming from Schofield," he said.

The council approved borrowing $1.37 million for the project, including contractor and project manager costs, permit fees, about $170,000 in contingencies "for surprises," and payment to the landowners receiving the dredged material, City Administrator Dan Wietecha said.

Six contractors bid on the project with bids ranging from $885,069 to about $1.5 million. In February, Vierbicher estimated the plan could cost $1.7 million to $2.6 million.

Last week, 70 percent of Evansville voters in an advisory referendum said the city should dredge the lake at a cost of no more than $2 million.

"I think (council members) made those votes on the financing with the results from the advisory referendum in mind," council President Mason Braunschweig said. "Seventy percent of the community wants this. It's pretty clear."

Braunschweig also urged the Save Our Lake Environment group to contribute funds.

"SOLE, throughout this entire process, you've verbally committed to help fundraise for this project once we made our commitment," he said. "Well, we are making our commitment today, so I want to see you continue to fundraise and help out with this project, anything you can."

SOLE chairman Gib Wiedenhoeft after the meeting said his organization would discuss fundraising at its next meeting.

Since the project came in under $2 million, SOLE member Jim Turner questioned why the controversial "box culvert," or partial rerouting of Allen Creek into the upper lake, couldn't be included. He also asked "where the extra money" was going to go.

There's no extra money, Braunschweig explained, "we're just borrowing less."

Adding the culvert would delay the project a year or two to rework the plan and get permits, he said.

Dorava said all of Integrity's references and other industry people he spoke with expressed "very positive" results.

Integrity has successfully completed large, million-dollar, earth-moving and grading projects, he said. The contractor already has visited the site three times, he said.

"I have a high level of confidence in the contractor," he said.

The contractor plans to work around the clock with two crews on 12-hour shifts, he said.

Before work can start, one permit is needed from the state Department of Natural Resources, and the ground needs to freeze, he said.

The council also approved a $78,350 contract to Vierbicher Associates for project management and on-site engineering.

"I'm going to be the guy that assures you get the project the way you want it," Dorava said.

BY THE NUMBERS

A look at the 2009 budget for Evansville approved Tuesday:

Total budget

Next year: $19.13 million

This year: $ 14.97 million

Increase: 27.8%

Tax levy

Next year: $2.13 million

This year: $2.03 million

Increase: 5.1%

Tax rate

(Per $1,000 of assessed valuation)

Next year: $6.96

This year: $6.67

Increase: 4.3%

Note: Percent changes calculated on whole numbers.