Extra Funding Requested for Brainerd’s Mississippi Trailhead Landing Park

Brainerd Parks & Recreation Board members recently heard a request for more funds for the Mississippi Trailhead Land Park, currently under construction along the Mississippi River in the city.

After first estimates of the project came in just under $2.75 million, a request was made at the last Parks Board meeting for an additional $58,000 to go towards construction observation, material testing, and project management. With multiple setbacks continuing to occur, the park’s completion date is uncertain.

Now with the request for more funding, Parks Board members are uncertain as to what this money is being put into.

Speaking to Matt Indihar, WSB Senior Project Manager, at one point Parks Board Chair Kevin Yeager asked, “why are you asking the taxpayers to bear that burden instead of the concrete manufacturer that’s one of your [subcontractors]?”

“It’s not one of my [subcontractors]…my contract is to review their work and observe it and make sure that the contractor is building it per plan,” replied Indihar. “I don’t have control over their scope or means and methods. I can help them, try to push them for the city to make sure that the contract is done and completed per schedule. But I don’t control their operations.”

By the end of the meeting, the request for the addition funds was granted on the contingency that the Parks Board would receive a written breakdown of exactly how the money is being spent.