Jackson County approves Anderson Columbia low bid for Mashburn Road; will value‑engineer asphalt because Rural Infrastructure Funds cannot pay for paving

Jackson County commissioners voted to accept Anderson Columbia as the low bidder for the Mashburn Road improvements and to pursue value engineering to reduce asphalt paving costs that cannot be paid with Rural Infrastructure Fund money.

Staff described the project as the section of Mashburn Road from the curb down to New Hope Road and said the bid covers paving, stormwater, waterline and related improvements under a Rural Infrastructure Fund grant administered by the state Department of Commerce. Because RIF money “cannot be used to put asphalt down,” staff told commissioners, the county will issue a change order before award to shift or reduce asphalt work so federally administered funds remain compliant.

During discussion, commissioners asked whether value‑engineering would reduce thickness, change materials, or alter the width of the paving; staff said reductions could include width or thickness and the team will attempt to reallocate costs to eligible line items. The low bid was presented as Anderson Columbia’s base bid plus pending alternates; the commission approved awarding the project with the pending alternate and authorized staff to proceed with the value‑engineering adjustments prior to final contract execution.

The county noted the RIF money originates as federal funding passed to Florida for administration; as a result, certain capital components are ineligible and must be covered by other local funding sources if retained in the final scope.

Commissioners approved the low bid and asked staff to return with the adjusted contract documents reflecting the value‑engineered plan and any funding changes required for asphalt elements.