Town Commissioners Minutes — 2026-02-06
Minutes February 6, 2026 · 2 page(s)
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Special meeting of the Queenstown Commissioners on February 6, 2026, focused on the Queenstown Water Improvement Project and whether to extend or de-obligate USDA loan/grant funds. USDA will not concur with awarding the bid due to missing/incorrect engineering documentation (no valid engineering services agreement, mismatched/amended plans and PER, expired license stamp, incorrect engineer seal/signature, missing acceptance letter and certified bid tab) and bid form/security errors, and because available funds are inadequate. USDA directed the town to reject the bids, restructure the project (redesign, phasing, or value engineering) and re-advertise for bids by March 15, 2026; the loan/grant obligation expiration and the option to de-obligate and reapply (keeping an $807,000 CDS grant with a required 25% match of $201,750) were also discussed. Engineers James Cook and Bob Rauch reported a reduced-scope plan (water main upgrades only) has been resubmitted and, after addressing USDA deficiencies, could be ready to rebid within about two weeks; Commissioners agreed and instructed Rauch to proceed. The meeting adjourned at 10:38 a.m.; Callahan moved to adjourn, Hardee seconded, with the vote recorded in the minutes as "Vote: 2-alte. 1-nqv."
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QUEENSTOWI\ COMMISSTONERS Special Meeting February 6,2026 PRESENT: Commissioners Al Hardee and Bryon Callahan, Town ManagerAmy Moore, Town Attorney Lyndsey Ryan, Attorney's assistant Jennifer Dindinger, and Engineers Bob Rauch and James Cook. SPECIAL MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 10:00 a.m. The purpose of the special meeting was to discuss the Queenstown Water Improvement Froject extension or de-obligation. USDA has advised that they cannot issue concurrence to award the bid for the following reasons: Engineering Services Agreement , The town does not have a valid engineering services agreement. o d new agreement must be approved by the State Engineer and State Office on or before February 27,2026. . Engineering services should be coordinated directly between the engineer of record and the Agency to ensure clarity and prevent repeated submittals that do not meet requirements. 2. Deficiencies in Documentation Supporting BidAward . Amended plans do not match revisions described in the amended PER. . Amended plans are stamped 2022, and the engineering license shown on the plans expired in2024. . We have not received an acceptable engineer's acceptance letter or certified bid tab. . While the contents of the revised PER are acceptable, the engineer's seal and signature are incorrect: o The signature must be across the seal, complete, and dated. o The current signature is washed out and incomplete, and the seal is not dated. . The bid security form is filled out incorrectly; the insurance company's address does not match the offrcial address shown on TC570. . The bid form was completed incorrectly. We do not accept additional stipulations to prices as noted on the Lindstrom bid form. As a result, the bid is invalid. 3. Funding Shortfall . Most importantly, funds are not adequate for the project, and the town cannot secure the additional funding needed . The bids must be rejected. . The project needs to be restructured-by redesign, phasing, or value engineering-and re-advertised for bids on or before March 15,2026. We also discussed that the obligation of the loan and grant will expire on March 31,2025.The town may choose to de-obligate these funds and re-apply for the full amount needed to support the project, minus the $807,000 CDS grant. Should the town de-obligate the loan/grant and retain the CDS grant, the town must provide a 25%omatch ($201,750). These funds can be used to support project costs. James Cook advised that USDA is agreeable to a reduced scope of work (do water main upgrades only). The reduced scope and plans have already been resubmitted and are ready to rebid. Just need to address the deficiencies USDA cited. Rauch believes they can have everything ready within 2 weeks from this date. The Commissioners are in agreement to continue on this path and instructed Rauch to proceed. There being no-further business before the Commissioners. Callahan motioned to adjourn the WorkSession at l0:38 a.m. Hardee second. Vote: 2-alte. 1-nqv. Respectfully submitted, Town