Fairhope selects consultant and awards bids for bond-funded drainage and underground conduit projects

The Fairhope City Council approved selection of Sawgrass Consulting to provide professional construction engineering and inspection services for the bond-secured Grama Drainage Project and authorized the mayor to negotiate a not-to-exceed fee for later council approval.

Council members also approved a low bid award to C. Thornton Inc. for the Grama Street drainage repair project with an amount not to exceed $398,945.50 and authorized a treasury transfer from the general fund to the capital projects fund to cover the expense. In a separate but related action the council approved an award for underground conduit and boring at an unopened right-of-way associated with the bond-secured project for a not-to-exceed cost of $89,800; city staff said that job includes four 4-inch runs of about 800 feet each and that the electric department will later pull wiring and make final connections.

Council materials and staff remarks tied the three items to the same bond-secured program discussed earlier in a work session; the mayor noted that Richard and Ben had briefed the council in that work session. Each item received a motion and second on the consent agenda and passed by voice vote.

Staff said the consultant selection is subject to a negotiated fee that the council will later approve, and the two construction awards include authorization for the treasurer to transfer funds into the capital projects account to cover the contracts. Councilors did not propose amendments to the awards during the meeting.