By: James Pruitt
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
Two street projects in Edgerton are moving forward, while another is headed back for retooling following action by the Village Council Aug. 29.
The council met for a special meeting to look at two resolutions and discuss bids about work on Depot Street. The council moved quickly through the agenda.
The council approved Resolution 2016-008 which allows Village Administrator Dawn Fitzcharles to prepare and submit an application seeking grants from the Ohio Public Works Commission to help fund work on Business Alley East. The improvements include work between Indiana and Hull between the grocery store and the
funeral home on the pavement as well as new water and sewer lines.
The second resolution was 2016-009 which allows Fitzcharles to apply for OPWC funds for storm sewer replacement.
The money would be available next year.
As for Depot Street, the village received one bid for the project it came in at $273,424, and an alternate bid of $57,630, well above the engineer’s estimate of $165,000, Fitzcharles said. The village’s engineering firm recommended the bid be rejected and the project rebid in early 2017.
“I actually think we probably should take it back to bid later on this fall,” Fitzcharles said after talking to the engineer. “We are going to take a step back, look at the engineer’s estimate and try to determining why there would be this disparity.”
The work would repave the street and replace a total of 600 feet of storm sewer sections.
Mayor Lance Bowsher said he learned through a conference call with the engineer there was significant interest in the project.
“There were several people who picked up packets,” Bowsher said. “There’s no way they can get to that number.”
The village has until March 2017 to award the project. The state provided $94,000 as a 50 percent matching grant to help with the cost. That means the village wants to keep the project at or below $188,000, Fitzcharles said.
For Fitzcharles, there are several factors leading to the situation. The engineer’s estimate was low; it’s late in the year and people already have enough work so the one bidder probably submitted a number thinking what did he have to lose?
The engineer gave the village several options to discuss later that could change the estimated cost.
James Pruitt may be reached at
publisher@thevillagereporter.com