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Local firm protests Mentor sidewalk contract award; council approves A & J Cement bid
Summary
Lake County Landscape and Supply told Mentor City Council it was excluded from consideration for the Zone 4D sidewalk repair and pedestrian safety program after submitting a higher bid that the city engineer said did not meet contract requirements. Council approved awarding the contract to A & J Cement Contractors for $1,010,415.
Mentor City Council on June 3 approved an ordinance awarding the Zone 4D sidewalk repair and pedestrian safety program contract (base bid plus Alternate 1) to A & J Cement Contractors Inc. of Euclid, Ohio, for $1,010,415. The award includes Alternate 1, a heated sidewalk at the main entrance to the senior center; work is anticipated to begin in June with a completion date of Sept. 19.
After the award, Sharon Hagen of Lake County Landscape and Supply told council her company had been invited to bid but was later told by the city engineer that it did not qualify. Hagen said Lake County Landscape’s bid was roughly 30% over the engineer’s estimate and about $90,000 lower than the successful bidder’s price; she said the company had completed a 59,000‑square‑foot sidewalk project in 2018 without liquidated damages and had submitted the required bid bond and documents.
The city’s presentation said two bids were received on May 9 and that A & J’s bid was reviewed and found to conform to contract requirements. City staff and the city manager explained that selection balanced price with recent performance and the need for timely, high‑quality completion. One councilmember asked for confirmation that responsible‑contractor policies had been followed; city staff responded that their review considered contractors’ recent experience, performance on similar projects and the potential for delays or safety hazards if work remained open for extended periods.
Council voted to move forward with the award after discussion; the ordinance approving the contract was adopted by roll call. Council did not change the award amount or attach conditions at the meeting. Lake County Landscape requested that the city reconsider or at least ask the company to explain why it believed it could perform the work; the city said the engineering office had made its determination based on prequalification and bid review.
The project is part of the city’s pedestrian safety program; staff emphasized the public‑safety rationale for prioritizing timely completion and minimizing long open slabs that could create hazards for residents.
