Burke County commissioners voted unanimously to award the bid for the Ritz Avenue extension to Sykes Brothers and to instruct staff to reduce the project scope to meet the county budget. County Attorney Adam Nelson told the commission that the budget target for the project is $1 million and staff would pursue value engineering to bring the project within that amount.

The change in scope will remove a northern leg that would extend past the intersection off Haddon Pond to the Ritz intersection, a staff member said, so the county can keep the work within the available funds. “We received seven bids for that project,” public works staff member Austin said during the meeting, “and both of us agree that [we are] recommending Sykes Bros.”

Nelson cautioned that the county would reduce the project scope rather than increase the budget: “I’ll just note that the budget is a million dollars on that project. We’re gonna look at value engineering it to get it into that scope.” Commissioners asked whether anticipated work by the water and sewer authority would affect the project; staff said there were no new developments reported and that the authority had been asked to meet about the timing but had not responded to a meeting request made about two weeks earlier. Staff indicated the authority’s work “shouldn’t have an impact.”

Commissioner Nicks moved to accept Sykes Brothers’ bid and Commissioner Bridal seconded. The motion carried with a unanimous voice vote.

County staff said they will return to the commission with the revised contract documents after value engineering is complete and after any scheduling coordination with the water and sewer authority. No construction start date was announced at the meeting.