The Brainerd Public Utilities Commission Tuesday accepted the low bid for a backup generator for its water treatment plant.
The commission unanimously accepted the low bid of $157,544 from Ziegler CAT in Brainerd. The only other bid received was $161,720 from Pioneer Critical Power, Inc.
The Brainerd City Council recently approved the issuance of five-year equipment certificates to pay for four pieces of equipment. A part of the bond issuance was $200,000 for the BPU generator.
Superintendent Scott Magnuson said the utility will apply and could be approved for a $10,000 grant from the state Department of Health to help defray the costs of the generator. The utility will also install the generator, connect the cabling and hook it up, he said.
In other business, the commission:
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Met in closed session for a little more than an hour to discuss potential litigation on the hydro dam spillway apron project. The commission took no action after it came out of closed session.
Learned from Magnuson painting on the outside of the hydro dam was recently completed. A few remaining spots require an outside contractor to reach, he said. Building Restoration Corporation, which is performing exterior maintenance at the Crow Wing County Historical Courthouse, will look at what it would take to paint the remaining portions of the dam.
Authorized Secretary/Finance Director Todd Wicklund to negotiate a credit card agreement from Wells Fargo. The utility currently has a credit card from MidMinnesota Federal Credit Union and has three to four copies of the card, he said. The utility is needing to use the card to purchase more things, he said, so they need more physical cards. BPU has a checking account with Wells Fargo, he said, and would be able to get up to 12 cards for different employees with different limits on the cards.
SPENSER BICKETT may be reached at 218-855-5859 or spenser.bickett@brainerddispatch.com . Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/spenserbickett .
