A resolution to award a $33,600 demolition contract for village-owned property at 33 East North Avenue failed on Sept. 29 after trustees and public commenters raised concerns about the low bidder’s references and a workplace injury noted in prior projects.

Staff background and recommendation
Village staff sought bids for demolition at the village-owned site and reported two bids were received, with Fowler Enterprises LLC the low responsive bidder at $33,600. The village engineer recommended awarding the contract to the low bidder and noted references provided by Fowler indicated successful completion of similar municipal work.

Public comment and trustee concerns
Members of the public and a competing contractor contacted the board before the meeting to express reservations about Fowler’s prior projects and safety record. Fowler, present on the call, acknowledged a prior workplace injury at a past site and said OSHA inspected the incident but did not issue a fine. Mike from Public Works described site issues at 33 East North: prior vermiculite insulation removed from the attic, asbestos-containing shingles on the garage, exposed knob-and-tube wiring inside the basement, deteriorated garage siding and a missing deck handrail.

Trustees debated risk and timing; some argued demolition should proceed to remove an attractive nuisance and address code violations, while others said rolling demolition into a future development contract or rebidding could save village funds and allow more due diligence on bidder references.

Outcome and next steps
The roll-call vote failed to produce sufficient affirmative votes to award the contract. Per the transcript, village staff will consult with village engineer Jeff Hanson (absent from the meeting) and report back; options include rebidding, conducting further reference checks, or preserving the property and reconnecting utilities if necessary.

Ending: The board did not award the demolition contract and directed staff to return with recommended next steps and a procurement approach that addresses trustee concerns.