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Lake Zurich village leaders moving to fast-track repairs needed at the Paulus Park chalet

The Lake Zurich Village Board voted Monday night to suspend the usual bid process for repair work at Paulus Park in order to fix the chalet in time for summer activities.

Due to a major sewer breakdown, the chalet was shuttered in February. But as summer nears, Park and Recreation Department leadership told the board that scheduled programs will be hurt if repairs are not fast-tracked.

The repairs — which Trustee Greg Weider said are extensive — are to the sanitary service and include demolition, plumbing and reconstruction work, in addition to the replacement of the lift station. According to a memo from Public Works Director Mike Brown, the sewer lift station at the chalet backed up mid-February and caused extensive damage to the facility.

The chalet cannot be used until all the repairs are complete, according to officials. And as the site plays host to a variety of summer activities, including camps, village leaders sought to wrap up repairs before programs were relocated or otherwise impacted.

The board voted to contract with three companies – AquaPro Plumbing, Paint Platoon USA Company and All Partitions – to do the work, all for a total not to exceed $55,291 based on the proposals from the three companies. The vote came after work proposals had been submitted but before competitive bids.

“Staff is recommending the competitive bid process be waived in an effort to expedite the repairs and return it to service as quickly as possible,” said Weider.

Earlier in the meeting, during public comments, Eric Dubiel, a longtime Lake Zurich resident and critic of board decisions, questioned the need for no-bid awards, though his criticism focused on other projects. Nevertheless, Mayor Tom Poynton asked Brown specifically if he agreed with the no-bid process to repair the chalet.

“What this is about is … addressing the emergency repairs we have at the chalet,” Brown said.

He said delaying repairs could “jeopardize” park summer programs as well as regular use of the facility.

“We don’t want to miss a beat there,” Brown said.

Bonnie Caputo, Park and Recreation manager, said programs are already being impacted and it will get worse.

“We have four days of programs that have been displaced,” Caputo told the board. “So we’re getting by, but we will not be able to get by, by the end of May. We have to have a place to put 60 kids.”

Brown said he has faith the repairs could be completed by May.

“We can do this. We’ll be cutting it right down to the wire, but we’ll get it in,” he said.

Jesse Wright is a freelancer.