The Nederland Downtown Development Authority (NDDA) Board of Directors met for a special meeting on Thursday night, February 3, 2022, to discuss contractor bids on the Big Springs parking project. Saving money and submitting a new budget to the town Board of Trustees were the top orders of business for the NDDA, working with a tight time frame and just two contractor bids received.

The Big Springs parking project’s proposed budget of $265,000 was approved by the NDDA in a scheduled budgetary discussion in September, 2021. The project, surveyed by JVA consulting engineers based in Boulder, consists of raising a parking lot and putting in a concrete retaining wall at the Black Forest building. Sidewalks and paved entrances to the building will be created, tying into the walkway at the corner of Bridge Street, as well as parallel and perpendicular parking being added.

The most involved construction of the project would be the implementation of a new storm pipe, planned to run on the west side of Big Springs Drive and connect to an existing pipe further down. JVA representative Nathan Skalak assisted the Board with their questions and concerns, most of which centered on drainage issues around the Village Shopping Center and the Clinic. Skalak provided survey maps to indicate how the new storm pipe will have several inlets that tie into existing drainage flows and how trench drains will be added as well, which will help stop sand run off from businesses and parking lots clogging the storm pipe. Skalak assured that this drainage system will eradicate the issue of water pooling into the shopping center parking bays, as well as other drainage and icing issues in front of businesses.

The project went out to bid early January, 2022, with ads placed in the local newspaper and (RockyMountainBid.net), though only resulted in two contractor bids received. The total budget proposal for the bid on the table is $311,771. With a 15% contingency, proposed by the Big Springs Committee, for any unforeseen costs bringing the total budget to $358, 537, the NDDA had to find room to save money.

Emmett Pelletier of Public Works proposed that the town handle the asphalt paving required for the project, a cost itemized by the bidding contractor at $45,105. Pelletier only requires final dimensions to understand the scope of the project, but believes that Public Works can do the job for less. The Board notes that they will add this proposal as a contingency in an upcoming budget discussion.

Skalak advised that the contractor is the best source to go to in searching for ways to cut costs. The question was raised about whether removing the construction of some sidewalks from the proposal would be a viable way in which to save money, but Skalak suggested that such construction would become more expensive to add down the line. NDDA Board Member Danielle Crouse added that losing sidewalks from the plan might save some money, but with the town’s Wayfinding project underway, constructing new sidewalks at this time would only be a benefit to the town.

The idea of reopening the project for bidding lingered amongst the Board members briefly, but fear of diminishing returns and of potentially losing the current bid forced the NDDA to reconsider. Board Member Ron Mitchell warned that it’s dangerous for a public entity to undercut bidders, as such bad etiquette could mar the town’s reputation. Additionally, with material costs rising and construction projects opening up all across the state, refusing to move forward at this juncture would most likely delay the project for up to a year.

The Board moved to accept the contractor’s budget proposal in the amount of $311,771, with the Public Works contingency included, and was approved unanimously. Also approved was the move to complete a supplemental budget application to be submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval at their upcoming meeting on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. The NDDA will be seeking approval for the contractor’s bid, heralding the official start of the Big Springs parking project, at their next scheduled meeting, which will be reported in the February 17, 2022, edition of The Mountain-Ear.