The Salina City Commission unanimously approved a bid for improvements to the Temple parking lot during Monday's meeting, awarding the contract to APAC Kansas, Inc. of Salina in an amount not to exceed $341,961.17.
Jim Kowach, Deputy Director of Public Works and City Engineer, presented the bid recommendation to the commission, noting this was the third time the project had come before the commission after being initially approved on April 14.
"We're before you this morning to talk about the actual construction project or repair project of the parking lot which includes an asphalt mill and overlay, extensive pavement markings, the addition of landscape beds along the sides, and then replacement and repair of the curbs and sidewalks and entrances on Santa Fe and Eighth streets," Kowach explained.
APAC Kansas submitted the low bid of $325,677.30, which came in under the engineer's estimate. The total project authorization includes a 5% contingency of $16,283.87.
The project will be funded from the $463,800 that remains in the fieldhouse offsite parking lot account designated for downtown parking. City Manager Wood reminded commissioners and the public that this funding source was specifically set aside from STAR bonds for public parking in the downtown area and cannot be spent elsewhere.
Commissioner Longbine raised a concern about the addition of planter boxes along the edges of the parking lot, questioning who would maintain the landscaping. Kowach confirmed that Mary Landis, director of the Temple, had assured the city that her staff would maintain all landscaping beds. He also noted that the landscape beds would not be irrigated, requiring manual watering and selective plantings.
This was the final step in the approval process for the Temple parking lot project, which previously had lighting added to the scope in June, with a separate lighting contract approved in July.
