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Proposed Contract <br />Staff are proposing to partner with Bolton & Menk, Inc. to complete the 2050 Comprehensive <br />Plan Update, with work scheduled to begin in August 2026 and conclude with final plan adoption <br />in early 2028. The structured contract includes a 12-month preparation timeline, followed by a <br />six-month Metropolitan Council review period and a six-month local adoption process. <br /> <br />Under the terms detailed in Attachments A and B, the baseline project requires a total <br />commitment of 642 consultant hours at an estimated base cost of $105,080. However, in <br />recognition of our ongoing municipal partnership, the consultant has provided a $5,000 project <br />fee reduction, bringing the final base contract total to $100,080. <br /> <br />Utilizing Bolton & Menk for this project is advantageous due to the technical nature of several <br />chapters. Because the firm also serves as the City's engineering consultant, they already <br />possess the foundational data and historical context required for these updates. Hiring an <br />outside planning firm would introduce unnecessary costs and inefficiencies, as a separate <br />consultant would have to be compensated to coordinate with and extract data from our existing <br />engineering team. Instead, this arrangement allows the City to maximize cost-effectiveness. <br /> <br />Additionally, the scope explicitly establishes that the planning process will be led by city <br />community development staff, with staff taking the primary lead on drafting and updating the <br />Demographics and Land Use and Housing chapters. For these sections, as well as portions of the <br />Transportation chapter, the consultant’s role is limited to supporting tasks such as GIS mapping, <br />data coordination, and formatting to ensure a cohesive final document. <br /> <br />Additional technical updates for the Wastewater, Water Supply, and Surface Water chapters will <br />be initiated separately by the City Engineer for an estimated $60,000, ensuring all municipal <br />infrastructure data integrates seamlessly without duplicating planning resources <br /> Comprehensive Plan Next Steps <br />Staff have already introduced the Comprehensive Plan to the Planning Commission and begun <br />foundational goal setting work. Upcoming dates to be aware of: <br /> <br />1. Thursday, July 9 - Planning Commission meeting to finalize a route for a Commissioner <br />bike tour of Little Canada <br /> <br />2. Sunday, July 12 – Planning Commission will bike the chosen route around Little Canada. <br /> <br />3. Wednesday, July 22 – Joint Planning Commission and City Council workshop to ensure <br />early alignment on Comprehensive Plan update goals and vision. <br /> <br />Following these initial milestones, the formal consultant contract is anticipated to begin in <br />August 2026, initiating the 12-month plan-preparation phase detailed in the attached scope of <br />work. <br /> Recommendation: <br />Staff recommends the Council approve the professional services agreement with Bolton & Menk, <br />Inc. for the 2050 Comprehensive Plan Update in the amount of $100,080, and authorize the City <br />Administrator to execute the contract.