Windsor Town Council likely to consider water main replacement bids in March

Published 8:38 am Thursday, February 23, 2023

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The Windsor Town Council’s next step on the Duke Street and Virginia Avenue water main replacement project will likely come in March after details on the bids for the project were not available at the council’s Feb. 7 meeting.

This is the second round of bidding for the project.

The Town Council emerged from a lengthy closed session Dec. 13 and voted to reject the first round of bids it received and then voted to rebid the solicitation.

“Town Council voted unanimously to reject all bids in the recent solicitation for the Virginia Avenue/Duke Street water main project, as the scope of the project was not portrayed in some bid documents as expected by the town,” Windsor Town Manager William Saunders stated in a Dec. 14 email.

He noted that the council then voted unanimously Dec. 13 to authorize the rebidding of the project solicitation in January, with the bid alternate for open cut of the driveways included, the pre-bid meeting being voluntary rather than mandatory, and other necessary minor revisions.

In a memo to the mayor and Town Council found within the Feb. 7 council meeting packet, Saunders confirmed that the water main replacement project was put out for rebid on Jan. 4, with bids due by 2 p.m. on Jan. 31.

He stated that a voluntary pre-bid meeting was held in person on Jan. 17, with representatives from two firms in attendance.

Six bids were received by the 2 p.m. deadline on Jan. 31, he noted.

“At the time of this writing, Bowman Associates consultants are vetting the bids and bidders,” he wrote in the Feb. 7 memo, adding that it was unknown whether the consultants’ results would be available in time for the council’s meeting that evening. “If not, we may present them at the March 14 meeting or potentially hold a brief work session on Feb. 21.”

Saunders confirmed in a Wednesday, Feb. 15, interview that the town did not receive the results from Bowman on the water main replacement bids.

“At this point, it will likely be the March 14 meeting when they are available for consideration,” he said.