Dakota County briefs: Contractor gets bonus for early completion, but work not done

Burnsville will pay a $100,000 get-it-done-early bonus to a contractor who didn't actually finish a road project early. But that's because it was the city's fault, officials say.

The contractor -- Palda & Sons of St. Paul -- got the job of reconstructing Burnsville Parkway over the summer. The company promised to get it done in 65 working days and got it done in 55 instead, earning ten $10,000 payments.

"They hit it hard with a lot of people and we think they did an excellent job," said City Engineer Bud Osmundson.

The hitch, he said, was that when it came time, early in the project, to shut off 14 aging valves in order to remove an old water main, the city couldn't manage it in time.

"No one was at fault," he said. "It's old equipment, buried underground for 50 or 60 years. But we had to reschedule that work, and that was per the city." It wasn't anything the contractor did wrong.

The overall project, therefore, is still tying traffic up, and could still be doing so until the end of September, if the weather holds.

The good news: "Our original estimate was 85 working days. The company promised to do it in far less and would have been penalized $10,000 a day if it had been 66 or more. So it could have been into October before it was done."

Viewers will be able to phone in questions and watch the forums on cable channel 14 and online. WCCO Radio reporter Adam Carter will moderate.

The forums will be replayed on television throughout the election season. They will also be available online at www.townsquare.tv.

Candidate forums are set for:

• Monday at 7 p.m.: State Senate District 57 and House District 57A;

• Tuesday at 7 p.m.: Inver Grove Heights mayor and city council;

• Thursday at 7 p.m.: Mendota Heights mayor and city council;

• Thursday at 8:30 p.m.: West St. Paul mayor and city council;

• Sept. 23 at 7 p.m.: Sunfish Lake mayor and city council;

• Sept. 23 at 8 p.m.: Mendota mayor and city council;

• Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.: State Senate District 39 and House Districts 39A and 39B.

The event, which started Thursday, featured a parade, fireworks, games and contests.

Today, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Cahill Avenue from 65th Street to 70th Street will be closed for the remainder of the celebration, which will include a pet contest and a classic car show.

For more information, visit www.ighdays.org.

Nonprofits may apply for foundation grants until Oct. 29Nonprofits that serve Eagan are eligible for the Eagan Foundation's 2010 community grants program, with applications due Oct. 29.

Eligible groups are those based in and focused on serving Eagan. Past recipients include Cheerful Givers, Caponi Art Park, Women of Note and the Eagan Resource Center.

The Eagan Foundation has contributed more than $750,000 to the community since 1991, offering scholarships, grants and other programs. For more information, contact the Eagan Foundation at admin@eaganfoundation. com.