NORTH MANKATO – A long-anticipated overhaul of North Mankato’s public works operations took a step forward Monday as the council approved 3-2 a construction management agreement for a new multi-million dollar facility.
The project, if approved, will be built on a 22-acre site at the southeast corner of Timm and Rockford roads and is expected to replace the current public works building — described by officials as insufficient for use. The new facility as designed would expand capacity from the current 12,400 square feet to as much as 70,000 square feet.
According to Luke Arnold — director of the Public Works, Water and Sewer Department — the proposed contract for construction management services is divided into three main parts.
First, during the pre-construction phase, the firm will provide high-level cost estimating for a fee of $5,000. Second, during the construction phase, their fee will be 1.65% of the guaranteed maximum price, which will be determined and approved by the council at a later date. The last phase will cover project-related daily operational costs such as staffing, travel, equipment and temporary facilities.
Council member Sandra Oachs, who voted against the contract, said her hesitation to move forward is not due to opposition to the project itself, but concern over the process and timing.
“I’m not comfortable moving forward any further at this point, because I think there’s still so many unknowns and so many other questions for a twenty-some million dollar project, without even talking to our residents about it as well,” she said.
Arnold said if the project is put out to bid too late, contractors may already have full schedules and limited availability, making it more difficult to secure competitive bids.
“We are getting to the point where we either need to decide to stop or we need to continue to go,” Arnold said. “The current facility is environmentally questionable. It is functionally obsolete, and it is dramatically undersized for what our current needs and the needs for the next 50-plus years are.”
The council approved the $5,000 preconstruction services agreement with R.W. Carlstrom Construction. Should the project progress, I&S Group, Inc. will serve as the project’s lead architect and civil engineer. The facility will include garage storage, office and workshop space and a dedicated salt storage building. Optional components may feature a fire department training area, police impound garage and firing range, cold storage, topsoil shelter, fuel island and a brush and yard waste drop-off site.
Total estimated cost of the project stands at approximately $25 million, with funds allocated for construction, design, delivery services and contingencies. Additional expenses include furnishings, equipment and land acquisition.
The city will manage several elements separately from the agreement, including construction of an access road and intersection along Timm Road. The city is also responsible for various testing, inspections, surveys and environmental assessments required prior to construction.
Design work is scheduled to be completed by November 2025, with construction beginning in March 2026 and a projected completion date of Sept. 1, 2027.
“I think it’s not bad for us to look into the future 30, 40 or 50 years,” Mayor Scott Carlson said. “We’re supposed to be planning for future generations and councils and mayors and administrators. And I think by at least diving into this, getting all the costs, getting all the figures in and looking at the benefits and the costs, I think it’s worth it to position our public works into the part of the city that’s going to be growing.”
Sustainable infrastructure is also under consideration, including rooftop solar and a geothermal heating system capable of supporting future development at the site. City staff emphasized the project aligns with long-term growth projections and corridor planning studies.
Arnold told the council the project is still in the early, initial stages of planning and he would continue to keep the council and the public informed as it develops.
The council plans to review project costs at key stages to manage budget concerns and evaluate design alternatives.