By DAVE SCHULTZ
Two companies submitted bids to do street paving in Bluffton as part of the state’s Community Crossings program.
E&B Paving of Huntington is the apparent low bidder on the four sections to be paved, at $398,328.64. The other bidder, Brooks Construction of Fort Wayne, submitted a total bid of $444,328.64.
The four projects that are part of the city’s Community Crossings request, and the amount bid by each company, is as follows:
• Monroe Street from the drainage ditch to the new subdivision (Parlor Bluffs): $156,473 from E&B and $133,000.25 from Brooks.
• Bond Street from South Street to Wiley: $76,142.68 from E&B and $93,885.50 from Brooks.
• Washington Street from Midway to Bond Street: $104,921.94 from E&B and $156,080.50 from Brooks.
• Market Street from Wiley Avenue to its dead end on the west side of the city: $46,787.02 from E&B and $72,708 from Brooks.
The bids were opened during this week’s meeting of the Bluffton Board of Public Works and Safety. The three Board of Works members — Mayor John Whicker, Scott Mentzer, and Roger Thornton — voted to take the bids under advisement. Street Commissioner Tim Simpson will review the bids and is expected to make a recommendation to the board next week.
Since the city’s population has grown past the 10,000 mark, the state will only reimburse the city 50 percent of the total cost of an approved Community Crossings project. Cities and towns with a population of 9,999 and under are eligible for 75 percent reimbursement.
daves@news-banner.com
