MARSHALL — The roof of a restroom and concessions building at Independence Park is in rough shape, Parks Superintendent Preston Stensrud said Tuesday. At this week’s city council meeting, council members approved a quote for replacing the roof – but the low quote came from a business owned by a council member.

Marshall City Council members went through a special process to approve the quote, passing a resolution to contract with council member James Lozinski.

Lozinski wasn’t present at Tuesday’s meeting. He was not part of discussions of the quote award, and did not vote on it.

Stensrud said a roof replacement for the concessions and restroom building near the Independence Park baseball fields was included in the 2025 parks budget.

“We’re trying to replace one roof a year in all of our buildings, and this is the next one up,” Stensrud said. “It’s wood shakes, and the soffit is also rotting,” Stensrud said of the roof. “The shakes would be original to the building, I believe in 1990.”

Stensrud said the city solicited quotes for the roof replacement from local contractors.

“I reached out to four contractors. Two gave pricing,” he said. The low quote of $5,325 came from James Lozinski Construction. “Due to him being a council member, I think this takes a special resolution, and then a unanimous vote,” Stensrud said.

Stensrud said the project would come in below the $14,000 budgeted. The total cost of the roof replacement, if awarded, would be $10,650. That included the cost of materials, which the city would purchase and provide to the contractor.

Minnesota state laws allow city governments to contract with a council member for services that don’t exceed the cost threshold where a competitive bid process would be required. However, if a city does contract with a council member, the council member would have to disclose that they have a financial interest in the project. The council would also have to approve the contract with a unanimous vote.

“We do have a declaration affidavit from Council Member Lozinski, stating the conflict,” said Marshall City Administrator Sharon Hanson.

Council members unanimously passed a motion by Craig Schafer to approve a resolution to contract with Lozinski.