Hooper picks a $534,000 bid for sewer station HVAC; draft minutes record force main funding with no dollar amount
Draft July 29 minutes record a 4-0 vote to award vacuum station HVAC work to the low bidder and a 3-1 vote for partial funding of a sewer force main in West Haven's 5100 West road project. The motion on the force main names no amount.
Continuing story: Auditing Hooper
Hooper, Utah's council met in a special meeting on July 29, 2026, to consider two sewer projects: HVAC upgrades at three vacuum stations and partial funding of a sewer force main in the 5100 West road project. [1]
The HVAC bids
A July 13, 2026 bid tabulation for the Vacuum Station HVAC project lists two bidders. A&T Sheet Metal Inc bid $178,000 for each of the North, Lowe and Town stations, totaling $534,000. Westland Construction bid $233,487, $213,278 and $215,043, totaling $661,808. [1]
A July 13 letter to the council signed by the J-U-B project manager says A&T Sheet Metal Inc is the lowest qualified bidder. It says the city must execute a notice of award, contract agreement and notice to proceed, and that the contractor must provide payment and performance bonds and proof of insurance before receiving the notice to proceed. [1]
The notice of award form in the packet is dated July 13. Its owner signature, title and contract price fields are blank. [1]
The vote
Draft minutes of the July 29 meeting, included for approval in the Sept. 17 council packet, record a motion by Councilmember Larry Ropelato, seconded by Councilmember Ray Hancock, to award the bid to A&T Sheet Metal. Councilmembers Ryan Hill, Ropelato, Dale Fowers and Hancock voted aye. [2]
The minutes say Public Works Director Jared Hancock answered questions about the bid and the work needed. They do not state a dollar amount. [2]
The force main
A separate July 15 sheet for the 5100 W Sewer Forcemain Connection is headed as a bid tabulation, but its price columns are labeled as the engineer's opinion of probable cost and the sheet is titled an engineer's estimate. It lists a $324,049.10 subtotal and a 20% contingency of $64,809.82, for $388,858.92. [1]
The draft minutes say West Haven is administering the road project and that the contractor was ahead of schedule. The council discussed installing the force main now to avoid cutting into new curb, gutter, sidewalk and asphalt later, as well as possible grant reimbursement, CRA reimbursement and long-term cost avoidance. [2]
Ropelato moved to approve partial funding, and Hancock seconded. Hill, Ropelato and Hancock voted aye; Fowers voted nay. The minutes state no dollar amount for the city's share. [2]
The July 29 minutes in the Sept. 17 packet were submitted for approval; their approval date field is blank. The bid difference compares two bids and is not a measure of completed-project savings. The force main figure is an engineer's estimate, not a contractor's bid or Hooper's share.
Sources
- Hooper City Council · July 29, 2026 special meeting packet
- Hooper City Council · Sept. 17, 2026 amended packet (draft July 29 minutes)
Reporting by The Utah Ledger from the public records above. AI-assisted, checked against those records.