City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening everybody and welcome to the March 16th meeting of the Whitefish City Council. Uh today would be a very special day in city hall because Mayor Mfeld and Deputy Mayor Sweeney are both traveling today. So we are going to go way down the bench and it will be I who will be running the meeting this evening which I trust will be brief and easy. Um there we go. And may the record also reflect uh that councelor Fury is out of town as well and excused. Um first on our agenda would be the pledge of allegiance. Um, since we have absolutely no members of the public, Jeppe, would you like to lead us this evening?

I aliance to the flag of the United States of America, to the republic for it stands, one nation, indivisible, liberty andice for all. Thank you, Jeppe. Uh, next up will be communications from the public. Clearly, we have none. I assume there's none online, Michelle. Okay.

Oh, I have a new microphone. Look at that. Uh, for those who are attending via uh Zoom, if you have anything to address the council for something that is um well, we don't have a public hearing, so anything that's on the agenda or not on the agenda, please raise your hand. We're good. All right. Thank you. Uh, next on the agenda would be our consent agenda. Would anybody like to make a motion to approve or modify the consent agenda? I move to approve the consent agenda.

Thank you. Uh, those in favor, please raise your hand. Those opposed, like sign. And that passes unanimously. Um, next is the only item on our agenda this evening, which would be a consideration to award the construction contract for the South White Fish Water Tower Tank Phase 2. Craig, yes. Good evening.

Deputy Deputy Mayor, is that what we're going with? Um, so we're sticking with the South Whitefish water tank uh storage project. Uh at your last meeting on March 2nd, uh we awarded the elevated tank portion of the project to Landmark Construction. I really hope to get this on that last agenda, but um we needed to do a little more consideration of the the contractors and the bids that were opened. And so at this point I am pleased to announce that uh we have found Newman the low bidder on that project uh to be qualified. Uh so this this project will come to you in three phases. You've approved the first phase. This is the second phase which will include the water man uh essentially crossing Highway 93 and going up to the water tank. And then the third phase which will come to you at a future meeting um will include some additional um 18inch water man as well as a booster station. Uh final plans for the phase two portion which we're talking about tonight and my screen froze up. Uh were opened on uh February 18th of 2026. We received five bids. All five bids were evaluated uh for sufficiency and the low bid was Newman Construction at 2,346,332. This was uh about $250,000 below the engineers estimate of two $2.6 million. Um which made us very happy. Um this portion of the project unlike the previous portion which was covered under SRF funds or the state revolving fund uh will be paid for with cash. Um, so per

the attached recommendation from AE2S, who is our engineer on the project, we do respectfully request council award the bid for phase two of the South White Fish Water Storage Project to Newman Construction for 2,346,332.

Thank you, Craig. Does anybody have any questions for staff or would like to make a motion? Uh, I move that we recommend um award, sorry, the the bid for phase two of the South White Fish Water Storage Project to Newman Construction for 2,346,332. It Thank you, Jeppe. Um, does anybody wish to comment on this at all? All right.

I have no comment. All right. All those in favor, please raise your hand. And those opposed like sign. And that passes unanimously. Uh that would be the only item on our agenda. Is there any comments that staff or council would like to provide this evening? All right. Less than 10 minutes. Pretty good.

I I'll do one modest father brag just since since we're here for less than five minutes. It feels like uh just want to shout out to my daughter who finished her swimming career uh in Evansville, Indiana this weekend. That's where I was and fortunately I made it back. There was a lot of traffic disturbances, air disturbances yesterday. Um but she finishes her career 18 time all-American, uh four national championships, um multiple runnerups, and uh four time academic all-American. So, she's had quite a career and now she's looking forward to the next chapter in her life. So, that's wonderful.

Um, and I'd also like to say for anybody listening that uh we will be having another meeting next week on Monday um for the growth policy and I think that's all or is there anything else on the agenda next Monday? Just growth policy. Great. Well, that'll be a much longer meeting. Hopefully, it'll be the end of our public. Yeah. All right. with that word. Thanks everybody.