The Dell Rapids City Council voted to not accept the bid for the Rickeman Field comfort station project during their regular meeting on Monday, August 1st. The lone bid received by the city came in at $98,767.60, not including additional utility work. The total project cost would have come around $108,000, which is about $38,000 over the budget set. The city budgeted $70,000 this year for the entire project.
While discussing the bid to the council, City Administrator Justin Weiland mentioned that just a few weeks ago there was an announcement made that the Land-Water Conservation Fund Grants, through the Game, Fish and Parks which only come out every two years, will be available next year. Weiland thought that the city could package the comfort station along with proposed campground expansion into an application for this grant next year.
The council voted to reject the bid. Weiland said that he would check into costs for engineering specs for the project for the possibility of applying for the Land-Water Conservation Grant.