Supervisors reject courthouse roof plans, set new bid and hearing dates

Franklin County supervisors voted unanimously to reject the current courthouse roof plans and all submitted bids after identifying discrepancies in the project specifications and order revised documents. The board then adopted a resolution to change the deadline for submission of bids and set new dates for a mandatory walkthrough, bid opening and a follow-up public hearing.

The board ratified Resolution No. 25-38, addressing the schedule change linked to the specification discrepancies, and later approved Resolution No. 25-42 ordering construction and setting new bid and hearing dates.

Project staff told the board the mandatory contractor walkthrough will be Thursday at 10 a.m., the bid opening is set for Tuesday, Aug. 19, at 9 a.m., and the next public hearing will be Monday, Aug. 25, at 10 a.m., during the board’s regular meeting. Staff said contractors who previously submitted bids will be notified and that the county’s lead bid-sourcing service and Master Millers of Iowa will distribute the reissued advertisement for bids to their members.

During the meeting the board moved to "reject the plans, specifications, form of contract, and order revised plans and specific specifications as recommended by Project Engineer"; the motion was moved and seconded and passed on voice vote. The board then moved to reject all bids received and approved setting the new schedule by roll-call on the resolution ordering construction and setting bid letting and public hearing dates.

The board recorded a roll-call vote on Resolution 25-42: Lukensmeyer — aye; McVicker — aye; Van Ness — aye. The board directed staff to send corrected bid documents to previously interested contractors and to confirm distribution with the lead sourcing service.

No legal claims, contract awards or contractor selections were made at the meeting; the county will accept new bids after the revised advertisement and mandatory walkthrough.