Russell Trustees Hope for Decrease in Bid for Garage Construction
Rather than rebid construction of a storage building behind the police station, Russell Township Trustees agreed during a special meeting Feb. 10 to work with the architect and the lowest bidder, Action Contractors LLC of Bedford, to decrease the bid price of $740,000.
Rather than rebid construction of a storage building behind the police station, Russell Township Trustees agreed during a special meeting Feb. 10 to work with the architect and the lowest bidder, Action Contractors LLC of Bedford, to decrease the bid price of $740,000.
The last few trustees meetings have included discussions about redesigning the building to bring the cost down to around $600,000 by changing the roofline and the configuration of the doors.
On Feb. 14, Trustees Jim Mueller and Matt Rambo talked about 14 changes to the plan proposed by TC Architects. Trustee Kristina Port was absent.
Mueller said the 27-week timeline may not change, but since construction will begin later than anticipated, completion of the 4,800-square-foot pre-engineered steel garage will be later in the year than originally planned.
Rambo agreed with the plan and said, “$740,000 seems high to me.”
Mueller said over the phone on Feb. 14 Action Contractors have agreed to honor the bid for another month and will present trustees with a list of deductions from the project design, so trustees will have an estimate of how far below $740,000 the final bill will be.
The cost of the structure, which will include two bays for evidence storage, two for police vehicles and one for a fire truck, has doubled since the project was first proposed two years ago.
When contacted Feb. 14, township Fiscal Officer Karen Walder said, “I recommend we consult with our assistant prosecuting attorney to make sure we remain compliant with the law.”
