The Scottsbluff city council Monday evening decided to rebid the planned new fire hall project. The council agreed with City Manager Rick Kuckkahn that reducing Anderson-Shaw's apparent low bid of $1.9 million to the architect's estimate of $1.3 million would violate the architectural integrity of the project. Mayor Randy Meininger said he didn't feel right about approving the negotiated bid.

Kuckkahn said the negotiated price meant the six thousand foot addition on the northern side of the existing building would be eliminated until later. He also said landscaping and concrete work would have to be phased in later as well.

Kuckkahn said the price of construction had risen to over $200 per square foot from $90 per square foot. He said when the project is re-bid the city will "have to scale it back to a more functional" building, probably an enhanced steel structure, due to the higher construction prices.