This 2023 City of Superior contract document outlines the complete bidding, specifications, and final agreement for the Fire Station 1 Solar System Design-Build Project. The contract, identified as Bid #23-02-FD, sought qualified contractors to design and install a roof-mounted solar energy system at Fire Station 1, located at 3326 Tower Avenue, Superior, Wisconsin. The intent was to reduce the city’s reliance on utility power, transition to renewable energy, and ensure a secure long-term energy supply.
The winning bid—Cedar Creek Energy Corporation of Blaine, Minnesota—was approved by the Superior Common Council on March 7, 2023, for a not-to-exceed total of $364,750. The final warranty certificate dated November 17, 2023, confirms project completion and a five-year workmanship warranty. The agreement incorporates Wisconsin’s Responsible Contractor Ordinance (#O20-4178) and PSC interconnection standards with Superior Water, Light & Power, establishing clear accountability, safety, and insurance obligations for both contractor and city officials.
This ordinance, introduced by Mayor Jim Paine and embedded in the City of Superior’s 2023 public works contracting documents, repeals and recreates Article XII of Chapter 2 of the municipal code—establishing new Responsible Contractor Criteria for all city construction contracts over $25,000. Adopted under Wis. Stat. §66.0901, Ordinance #O20-4178 grants the City wide discretion to determine what constitutes a “qualified responsible contractor,” emphasizing permanent business location, bonding capacity, apprenticeship participation, insurance, financial solvency, and labor compliance.
The ordinance also requires contractors and every tier of subcontractor to file affidavits of compliance with their bids. It explicitly allows city officials to consider “other information” beyond submitted materials when deciding if a bidder is responsible. This expanded discretion—introduced under Paine’s administration—has raised accountability concerns about transparency, favoritism, and taxpayer protection in awarding multimillion-dollar public works contracts like the Fire Station 1 Solar Project.
