MINOT, ND ( KXNET ) — The Minot City Council has now approved a bid for more than $52 million in the latest phase of the Mouse River Enhanced Flood Protection Plan.

The plan consists of levees and flood walls to keep the Mouse River Valley from flooding in different phases.

But there are concerns as to why phases of the project were re-bid and came in over the engineers’ estimated cost, but lower than the previous bid.

“We are somewhat in a race against time. Yes, this is costing us a lot of money on the sales tax side, but what it is going to cost us in the future is a lot of money from every single resident that lives in the valley,” said Jason Sorenson, Utilities Director for the City of Minot. “There are going to be some really staggering insurance rates that come because we don’t have protection in the city. Those are the two things we have to weigh against each other as we go forward and select which projects to build and which ones not to.”

The vote on the latest bid passed with a five to two vote.

Leaders say phase M-I 6 will be funded with 65% of the Department of Water Resources funds and 35% sales tax flood-control dollars.

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