Staff Report

Sewers are important— they stop disease. As such, they can serve a public safety function of a sort, among others.

Pursuant to this and meeting this past June 16, the Cottage Grove Council approved Resolution 2021-090, awarding the bid on phase one of the South Sanitary Sewer District Project to Geisslinger & Sons for $3,558,880.50 Part of a multi-phase project, the new trunk line sanitary sewer will link directly to the Met Council’s interceptor line, with further development driving extension of the sewer in the future.

The South Sanitary District, meanwhile, is described as “everything south of 100th Street, property along Grey Cloud Trail, and Lower Grey Cloud Island” in city plans, while current sanitary sewer service ends at 100th Street. Once all phases are completed, the ongoing project will cover 3,200 acres of lands on the Mississippi River and just to the north.

To get the process of development moving, however, it was necessary first to approve a bid. “Next on our agenda is number 10, bid awards,” Mayor Myron Bailey said near half-an-hour in June 16. “We do have one this evening, the South Sanitary District Phase One Sewer Project, and our Director of Public Works Ryan Burfiend will take us through this.”

“Thank your Mr. Mayor ,” Burfiend said, before heading into his presentation.

Accepting bids on June 10 for the project in the South Sanitary District, Burfiend said the City had received seven bids, raning from a low base bid of $3,125,240.50 by Geisslinger & Sons, all the way to a base bid of $3,946,547.70 by Northern Lines Contracting.

“Just for a quick overview, this will be bringing sewer to the portion of the city south of Under Street,” he said.

Saying it was about 6,000 feet of pipe to serve 4,000 acres of the city “for many, many years of development,” Burfiend shared the project aim, “We bring it from the Met Council trunk sanitary sewer that goes down to the treatment plant all the way up to Ideal Avenue,” he said.

In addition to the base bid for each company there were three alternates, of which one and three were recommended by the Public “Alternate one is lining of the concrete manholes with a rubber membrane,” Burfiend said, explaining, “It protects from sewer gases and corrosion over time.”

Alternate two was a different type of poly-concrete manhole being done by Met Council more, while Alternate three was extending across Ideal Avenue.” The City had worked with the landowner to get the necessary easements, with development interested on the other side of Ideal Avenue making it important to get the line that way,” he said. The Council is paying $9,499 per acre to two separate property owners for the permanent easements “over, under, and across” the land, the total easement area being 6.3 acres or $59,843.70 from taxpayer wallets. Before long it was cross examination time. Council Member Justin Olsen led the next phase of bid approval out.

“Ryan, you probably knew I was going to ask this question, but have we worked with Geisslinger & Sons before?” Olsen asked.

“Council Member Olsen, we have not worked with them directly,” Burfiend replied. The City’s consultant on the project had, he went on, while Geisslinger & Sons tended to specialize in larg-

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er projects and was familiar working with the Met Council.

“Good, I just wanted to be sure that we were comfortable that we’re going to be getting great service for the price we’re going to pay,” Olsen told Burfiend. With alternates one and three both being added on to a base bid of $3,125,615, the total project cost approved in the bid from Geisslinger & Sons amounts to $3,558,880.50.

Olsen’s next question, meanwhile, was about manholes.

“As you’re keenly aware that tends to be a hot topic with people,” he said, “particularly on your more well-traveled roadways.” Over time, he said, manholes tended to sink, causing problems for cars.

“Can you explain the difference with the manholes you just talked about and how that will…keep the manhole flush with the road?” Olsen asked.

“Certainly, Council Member Olsen,” Burfiend rejoined. “So, you’re probably used to driving around town, you get that very annoying ‘thump’,” Burfiend said. “That’s something that happens over time, sometimes from putting on thin overlays on the pavement, but also sometimes from the manhole itself. So how to avoid the cold weather physics drop?

“Specifically this lining does help to prevent any issues with that manhole or the ground around it moving,” he said. Looking to the future and where things are going, the manhole would be behind the curb line, Burfiend said, “so people won’t be able to drive on it anyway,” he said. With Olsen satisfied, Mayor Bailey stepped in to take the mic over.

“Any other Council concerns on this end?” he asked. Seeing none, he asked for a motion, being provided one in due course by Council Member Dave Thiede, seconded by Olsen.