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Thursday, June 20, 2013
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2nd try to get sidewalks done
by Gregory R. Norfleet · News · July 06, 2012
Despite his apparent frustration, West Branch City Council member Jim Oaks joined the rest of the council Thursday to re-bid a sidewalk to the middle school after breaking the project into three parts.
And with a July 6 deadline for bids, the council renewed hopes of getting the project done before school starts in August.
The council also directed the administration to accept the bids and get the work started if the total cost comes in at or less than $73,000.
Oaks expressed concern with rejecting the original bids submitted for the entire project, saying that the three-part approach gives the city administrator “a blank check” and the council gives up control of the project.
“I don’t think this is a good way of doing business,” he said. “This ... really makes me nervous.”
Oaks also expressed concern that there would be no general contractor to organize the work and make decisions when problems arise. He referenced a confrontation between him and Muckler at the Monday meeting, where Oaks said he could not seem to get Muckler on the phone and Muckler stated that he works “68 hours a week” but that sometimes takes him outside City Hall.
“I’d feel more comfortable hiring Mark (Worrell)” to oversee the project, Oaks said. “Matt (Muckler) said he’s working 68 hours a week — he’s already overworked. How will he know what to go by?”
When the council gathered at City Hall over the lunch hour on Thursday, City Administrator Matt Muckler had broken down the project into four parts, hoping smaller, local contractors could reduce or eliminate “mobilization” costs — the cost of getting equipment to the site — and thus reduce the overall cost of the project.
The city will haul away the broken concrete, absorbing that cost in its day-to-day expenses, Muckler said, and will provide the materials, which should cut 20 to 30 percent from the bids
The rest of the project was bid out like this:
• Grading and drainage — Start by July 9 and finish by July 20
• Concrete — This includes the sidewalk, curbing and the approach from Orange Street to the short road east of the water tower that feeds into the WBMS parking lot. Work could run from July 21 to Aug. 3.
• Asphalt work — To run from Aug. 4 to 17.
Council member Mark Worrell and Oaks agreed that such a short street may take any experienced company less than half a day.
The council opted to not include a penalty for work not finished by the dates listed above, especially since a dry spell could mean the project moves along much faster. Council members directed Muckler to contact the second and third contractor as soon as the previous contractor finished their portion of the work, allowing them to get in as soon as possible.
Worrell said he was not overly concerned if the project cuts into the school year.
“If it’s done right, I don’t care,” he said. “So be it.”
Still, weather permitting, he thinks it could be done much faster.
“I think the timeline is generous,” he said.
Public Works Director Matt Goodale said that while other projects have him busy this summer, he could serve as the primary oversight on the work.
Mayor Don Kessler said he was satisfied with that.
“I’m very confident both Matts can take care of this job,” he said.
Worrell noted that City Engineer Dave Schechinger would, as usual, also oversee the project.
Council member Dan O’Neil, who has taken the lead on the council to get sidewalks built since the city rejected a $250,000 Safe Routes to School grant, reminded the council that money has already been set aside for the work.
“If we go over budget (with the new bids), we’ll have to look at it again,” he said.
Last Monday, bids for the entire connection between Orange Street and West Branch Middle School — which included a sidewalk and small section of road — came in higher than expected and the council thought it could not afford the extra cost. They tabled the project, but met again Thursday to consider its next step.
The council officially rejected the overall bids, by unanimous vote, and then approved sending the three-part bids. Muckler said the new bids would be hand-delivered to prospective contractors. Minutes after the meeting ended, Muckler and Goodale began stuffing bids into envelopes for Goodale to deliver.
The school district pledged $11,500 to the project, which will mean the city’s portion of construction costs will be about $62,000 or less.
Muckler added that Alliant Energy has agreed to remove two utility poles running along that stretch of road, burying the lines underground. He said Alliant only asks in return that the city allow them to put up an electrical box on Orange Street. |
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