HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Council Action Form dated May 27, 2025ITEM #:17
DATE:05-27-25
DEPT:ELEC
SUBJECT:FIRE ALARM UPGRADE FOR POWER PLANT
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
BACKGROUND:
Fire risk mitigation is important to the operation of the Power Plant to ensure employee safety
and to protect equipment. The fire protection standards of today are more rigorous than the
requirements when the Power Plant was originally built. The City’s insurance carrier has made
some loss prevention recommendations for the Power Plant. To address fire risks and
possible equipment loss events, staff has a contract with a consulting engineering firm to
provide fire protection engineering, contract administration, and possible field installation
oversight for the Power Plant.
On June 11, 2024, City Council awarded a contract renewal to Burns & McDonnell of
Bloomington, Minnesota to design an upgraded fire alarm system in the Power Plant. The fire
alarm system upgrade will add smoke detection over motor control centers and consolidate
existing fire alarm zones into one system that will improve notification to the control room in
the event there is an issue.
Funding for the Fire Alarm Upgrade will come from the Power Plant Fire Protection account
where there is a current balance of $925,665. The engineer's estimate for this project is
$530,000.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve preliminary plans and specifications for the Fire Alarm Upgrade for the Power
Plant, and setting June 25, 2025, as the bid due date, and July 8, 2025, as date of Public
Hearing and award of contract
2. Do not proceed with the project at this time.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
This work is necessary for fire risk mitigation (fire detection, alarm, & suppression) to
improve protection of personnel and critical plant equipment. A loss event resulting
from a fire could be catastrophic because of the potential to injure personnel and halt
electric production. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City
Council adopt Alternative No. 1 as stated above.
1