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CR 90-168 Execute Contract Varner-Matt Sign Company Consent Agenda ~ July 30, 1990 Council Rpt 90-168 AUTHORIZATION TO BXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH VARNER-MATT SIGH COMPANY AND JAYCBBS TO BUILD AN ENTRANCE SIGN TO THE CITY PJLOp~~~ Acti~~t Staff recommends Council approve following motion: ill A..1.l!-hor1,ze staff to ~x;~cute an aqr~:ment with C;lifton Robbi.ns of Varner-Matt Sign ComJ;iauy to desigp and build entrance sigDs and (2L enter into an agreem~nt w1th th~ HQ~kins Jaycees to finance the ~roiect. This action will allow staff to contract with Varner~Matt Sign Company to design and build an entrance sign for the City. It will also allow the staff to work with the Jaycees to fund the project. Execution of the agreement for construction of the sign would be conditioned upon the agreement first being executed with the Jaycees. ~.fvi.w: The Hopkins Jaycees offered to donate entrance signs to the city. The purpose of these signs would be to provide a strong visual indication to motorists that they have entered Hopkins, as well as to promote a positive community image, Staff has worked closely with Clifton Robbins of Varner-Matt sign Company to develop a type of sign within a price range that the Hopkins Jaycees found acceptable. The Jaycees agreed that the proposed sign should be non- litl brick sign with stud-mounted plastic lettering. Staff verified that evarner-Mattfs prices were competitive by contacting two other siqn companies and getting preliminary quotes on a basic design. varner-Matt was the least expensive of the three companies. Staff has determined that the best approach will be to execute separate contracts for each sign. Jaycees have indicated that they would like to provide funding for four signs. Because of the time lag between construction of the four signs, staff believes that four separate contracts should be executed. PI: iaar'y .,1 .OUftIL to ...Q.2!u!i.4er J o Should the City use Varner-Matt to design and build the City's ~mt:rance signs? o Have other groups provided input in the location and design af the signs? o What is the timeline for completion of this project? o When and where will the first sign be built? (;.- bRR9J:UU .nfora.tiolU f;ii, f" f~~,.~ o Detailed background o Analysis of issues o Quote results o Siqn locations [~.2.. ,~, ~~_:it:t~:~y ::~;;~t schedule , :' 1Q.Jv{.~..x.J...tAA ;) . l"~ o.~' . Kathleen t.. Bodmer, Spec &1 ProJects I'C...: i~; ~;< ' ~' '';~', . !:.:;,,- ";s ~~.: Entrance Sign Report Rpt. 90-168 . Page 2 neta~led Baoksround: In the fall of 1989, the Hopkins Jaycees contacted the City staff with a proposal to donate four entrance signs to the city. This proposal would achieve an important goal of the city's Community Image Plan found in the Comprehensive Plan which states: "Entrances to the community will be clearly identified through artfully designed entrance signs." This project was an excellent opportunity to improve the city's image. At the January 2 Council Meeting, the city Council approved the entrance sign concept and directed staff to pursue easements at the recommended locations. At that meeting, four locations were identified as key entrance points for the city and were approved for placement of the signs. In February, staff met with a designer who had. constructed the entrance signs for the City of Blaine. He presented staff with a brick, back-lit lettered sign that cost $9,000. The Jaycees were very surprised at that price and indicated that they had hoped to spend around $10,000 on the entire project. staff met with the designer several times during the spring and summ~r to discuss different options on materials and lettering to try to bring the . price of the signs down. Different types of signs, such as brick, aluminum and cedar were explored. At the same time, staff contacted the Jaycees to see if they would be willing to fund the project over a two or four year time period. This would allow the cost of the signs to be spread out. The Jaycees agreed, and recommended that the city pursue a unice-lookingft si.gn. staff discussed with the Jaycees and Westwood Engineering the. various options and types of signs that the designer had developed. Of the options presented~ both the Jaycees and Westwood recommended that the City pursue a brick sign. It would be the most durable and would tie in best with the downtown renovation project. The estimated cost for a basic, non-lit brick sign ranged between $4,000 and $4,500. In July, staff contacted two other companies to get comparative quotes on a simple brick sign. Varner-Matt sign company was the lowest quote. Staff talked with the City of Blaine staff and they said that they were very pleased with the work that Varner-Matt Sign Company had done for them. On July 26 staff contacted the Jaycees again to confirm that they were .till committed to funding the project. A representative from the Jaycees indicated that the general membership wa6 still in support of prividinq the $ntranc~ aiqna, He stated that the Jaycees would need a dafinate dasiqn and price before they would actually dis~ur6e any funds for this proj.~t~ The Jayoees felt they would be able to finance '~na sign every six months. The repr.sentativ~ estimated that it would take about 3 we~ks from the tim. the Jaycee. recQiv@d the final design to the time that they would disperse . the money. Entrance Sign Report Rpt. 90-168 . Page 3 Analvsis of Issues: o Should the city use Varner~Matt to design and build the signs? Clifton Robbins of Varner-Matt sign company designed and built the entrance signs for the City of Blaine. The city staff at Blaine was very pleased with his work. Varner-Matt was also reasonably priced compared to the other sign quotes which were received. o Have other groups provided input in location and design of signs? city staff met with the business council sign subcommittee to get input on locations for the signs. The subcommittee agreed with the four locations which were identified. Staff also di.scussed the project with Randy Goertzen of Westwood Engineering to make sure that the entrance sign project corresponded with the possible downtown mall project. Westwood recommended that the entrance sign be constructed of brick to complement the 'ilHistoric Mainstreet" theme. Mr. Goertzen also recommended that the city incorporate the official City symbol in the sign. The designer and staff will develop three designs and will present them to the downtown sign desi.gn committesr Westwood Engineering and the Business . Council for input. staff intenda to present three designs to city council for final approval of a design before actual construction begins. o What is the timeline for completion of this project? completion of the project is contingent upon the available funding for the Jaycees. The Jaycees have stated that they would probably be able to fund one sign every six months. staff expects the signs to be built by 19S4 at the latest as long as the Jaycees remain committed to funding the project. o Wi:~en and where will the first sign be built? Staff has determined that the first sian should hli: constructed on Excelsior Boulevard by Po~~11t5 Candy. That site is the location of the exiating "Welcome to Hopkins" entrance sign. Of the four sites that have been selected for entrance signs, this site i.s the best for an entl;'ance sign because it is fairly flat and has the fewest visual distractions. In addition, the existing entrance sign is deteriorated and needs to be upgra.ded. If Counoil authorizes staff to continue to pursue this project, atsff will contact the Jaycees and work to have the first entrance sign built 'thi$ fall. . . CITY OF HOPKINS VERBAL ENTRANCE SIGN QUOTES July 1989 .c.ompafl,Y I Con~ Leroy Signs Paul Nardone Cost for Sign as Specified Notes $4,485 Brickwork totalled $2,875 Varner-Matt signs Clifton Robbins $4,195 Price for option B, basi.c ratangular sign. Attracta Signs Cynthia $4,589 Nonlit - Edgetrim letters without wall = $1714. If wall totalled $2875, 1714 + 2875 = 4589 :.{.' 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