GRANITE FALLS -- It's back to the drawing board for a downtown floodwall in Granite Falls.
City Council members at their meeting Monday rejected the only bid received for construction of a floodwall.
Minnowa Construction Inc. of Harmony offered a bid of $1,096,000.
The engineer's estimate was $459,827.
City Council members agreed to return the plans for the floodwall to architect Sergio Gaitan of Stanley Consultants, Minneapolis. City Manager Bill Lavin said the architect will revise the floodwall plans so that it could be built in separate segments.
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The architect will also incorporate other changes, such as replacing aluminum stop-logs with timber stop-logs, to reduce the cost of construction.
The revised plans will call for developing the first segment of the floodwall from the current Aus Flooring building along the river to the former Ladner's Hardware Store building. Plans are to eventually develop a floodwall to the current City Hall site.
In a related matter, council members voted 3-2 to approve a one-year, $5,000 option to purchase the Dave's Family Foods building on the north end of Prentice Street.
The option gives the city the right for one year to purchase the building and property for its appraised value of $137,800.
City Council members are interested in the vacant building as the site for a new City Hall.
The city's flood mitigation program calls for eventually razing the existing City Hall and replacing it.
There is a $1,440,460 total budget for the City Hall replacement.
The existing City Hall was appraised at $295,000. The city would be eligible for funding equal to that amount through the state's flood mitigation program if it moves forward with the project, Lavin said.
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In other matters:
- Council members met with Geoff Hathaway of the Minnesota Valley Trails Initiative to discuss efforts to develop a recreational trail from Granite Falls to Wegdahl.
Hathaway updated council members on eminent domain proceedings to acquire right of way from the Twin Cities and Western and Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad companies for the trail.
- Council members heard from Mike Koop, Minnesota Historical Society, on the procedures and benefits for designating the city's pedestrian bridge across the Minnesota River as a historic structure.
- They appointed Erik Hokuf as airport manager and to the airport commission.
- They continued discussions with City Attorney Greg Holmstrom and Police Chief Russ Blue on adopting a noise ordinance.
Council members want to check with neighboring communities for examples of noise ordinances now being enforced.
