(Okoboji)– A study into the feasibility of establishing a municipal telecommuncations utility in five lakes area communities is a step closer to reality.
The Opportunity is Calling Committee Thursday selected three of the five engineering firms that submitted proposals for the study for an interview. The three firms that will be interviewed are Black and Veach, which submitted a bid of 59,940-dollars; Barns and McDonnel which submitted a bid of nearly 65-thousand dollars; and Virchow and Krause which submitted a bid of 74,905-dollars.
The bids are pretty much in line with a 65-thousand dollar cost estimate the committee had received. Two other firms that were ruled out by the committee Thursday submitted bids that were much higher than the estimate.
The committee set June 15th as the date to interview representatives of the three firms. Based on those interviews, the committee will then select a finalist to complete the study hopefully by late this summer or early fall.
The Opportunity is Calling Committee consists of one representative each from the cities of Arnolds Park, Okoboji, Orleans, Spirit Lake and Wahpeton, who’s voters approved moving ahead with a study into the feasibility of a municipal utility.
