Council postpones pool bid decision

RED OAK — Amid reports of non-compliance with state code, Red Oak’s City Council delayed a decision at last week’s meeting on awarding bids for a renovation project at the municipal pool.

Two companies, Acco from Johnston, and Aqua Palace, out of Council Bluffs, submitted bids for the project, which includes resurfacing the swimming and wading pool, installing a lift and access ladder, and constructing a sloped entry into the wading pool.

Both companies also submitted alternate bids for installation of a water slide. Red Oak resident and Aqua Palace representative Scott Rolenc said the legal problems stemmed from the slide bid specifications.

“The slide proposed by the park board … as proposed, the slide will not pass the Iowa regulations,” Rolenc said. “The whole bidding process on this slide then, you are bidding on something tonight, or accepting something tonight, that is going to have to have some change orders applied to it and modified before it can even be built.”

While Aqua Palace’s water slide bids were between $7,000-$10,000 more than ACCO’s, Rolenc said the difference was three addendums he added to the Aqua Palace bid to make the slide compliant with state code.

City Administrator pushed the Council to choose a primary bid contractor, which includes everything but the slide.

ACCO’s primary bid was $261,796 while Aqua Palace’s was $299,000.

However, Council members had more questions regarding material that would be used in the resurfacing, and how affective it would be.

“I understand that we are up against winter, however, we are also trying to make a good business decision here, and based upon what I have heard so far, and who I talked to, is that we just don’t have that information available to us,” Council member Larry Brandstetter said.

The Council unanimously voted to delay a decision until the Sept. 26 meeting.

Also at the recent meeting, the council:

— Appointed Larry Barnett, Mark Jackson, Jan Norris, Jim Hoskinson, Jim Sifford, Nate Perrien, Chris Amos and Darrel Steven Carlyle to the Steering Committee for the ongoing downtown improvements project. After appointing a non-downtown business owner, the committee will be responsible for forming and directing subcommittees to help implement the downtown improvement plan.

— Approved a $22,700 bid from Scott Ross Masonry for repairs to the pool bath house and concession stand.

— Approved a Federal Aviation Administration grant agreement for a runway rehab at the airport.