The City of Perkins on April 8 awarded the base contract for the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma (ITO) water tower to Maguire Iron Incorporated for the low bid of $2,307,000. Commissioners authorized the city manager to execute contracts and related documents; funding for the tower comes from American Rescue Plan Act funds administered through the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and matching dollars from the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma and the city.

Why it matters: the tower is a major capital project intended to improve water storage and distribution for parts of Perkins. City staff said the tower itself can be built with the awarded funds; connecting water-line work that would tie the new tower into another pressure zone came in significantly higher than anticipated and was not included in the award.

City staff and the city manager explained that bids were received for the tower and for several alternates. The low base bid from Maguire Iron covers the tower structure; staff did not recommend awarding the higher-cost alternate for water-line construction at this time because the water-line bids were about $750,000 — more than anticipated and beyond available funding within the ARP program.

The commission also approved multiple small perpetual utility easements from private trusts needed for future tie-ins. Staff said the easements — described in the agenda as roughly 223 square feet and 570 square feet at two separate locations near Highway 33 and Casey’s — will allow future water-line connections that could help unify pressure zones and supply the new tower from multiple sources.

City Manager Bob (on the record as city manager) framed the collaboration with the tribe as essential: "If it wasn't for the Iowa Tribe, we would not be building a water tower, and we would not be building a new lift station," he said during the meeting, calling the project a partnership. Staff said they will continue seeking grant opportunities and further discussions with the tribe to fund any additional water-line work.

Commissioners voted unanimously to award the contract and to approve the related easements. The water-line alternates were not awarded; staff will return if additional funding is secured.