5.6. SR 02-13-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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13065 Orono Parkway Elk River, MN 55330 January 30,2006 Ms. Lori Johnson City Administrator City of Elk River 13065 Orono Parkway Elk River MN 55330 RE: PREVAILING WAGE ISSUE Dear Ms. Johnson: As requested, I have researched the issue of using prevailing wages on the City of Elk River's utility and street infrastructure construction. Based upon my research and analysis, I would offer the following comments: 1. The City of Elk River is already required to follow prevailing wage law on any projects funded by Federal or State dollars. This would include a project using Municipal State Aid funds. From a cost of construction standpoint, I would estimate that this would cover approximately half of the projects that we competitively bid. Over the past few years, these types of projects would have included the TII 169 pedestrian bridge, the East Elk River Tyler Street road and storm sewer construction, 17 5th Avenue reconstruction project, and the TII 10 and Main Street intersection reconstruction project. 2. Generally, the City of Elk River sees union contractors doing underground sanitary sewer, water and storm sewer construction. This has been true on the recently completed Northstar Business Park, the underground portions of the 2005 and the 2003 street reconstruction projects. 3. Generally, the City of Elk River sees non-union contractors bidding street paving. Primarily two contractors have received the vast majority of street paving contracts; either Bauerly Companies or Universal Enterprises of Mid-Minnesota, Inc., both from the St. Cloud area and both non-union contractors. 4. Other types of construction that are typically part of our improvement projects such as concrete curb and sidewalk or landscaping can be a mix of union and non-union Phone: 763.635.1000 Fax: 763.635.1090 www.cLelk-river.mn.us