Christian County awards annual road-resurfacing contracts to multiple vendors; staff flags rising rock prices

Christian County commissioners voted to award the county’s annual road resurfacing and materials contracts to multiple vendors and to approve a one-year contract with up to two one-year renewal options.

County procurement staff told the commission the evaluation committee (Kim and Miranda) received eight proposals and recommended awarding to a list of vendors that cover hot mix, chip-and-seal, cold-mix patching and quarries for aggregate. The contract term begins April 1 and runs one year, with two additional optional one-year renewals under county procedures.

Highway Administrator Amber Fields briefed the commission on price trends included in the procurement packet. Fields said chip-and-seal prices remained close to last year, hot-mix rose about 50 cents per ton, and the cost of base rock has risen substantially over several years — she cited a change from roughly $3 per ton when she started to nearly $9 per ton now.

Procurement staff explained there is no automatic percentage increase built into renewal terms. If a vendor requests a price change at renewal, the county sends an amendment form to all vendors on the contract and any price changes must come back to the commission as a formal amendment.

A motion to approve the ITV 2025–25–2 contracts with all recommended vendors passed by voice vote. Commissioners said they were satisfied that the new contract prices kept resurfacing work within the county’s available budget for the coming year.

The county will proceed with vendor contracting and said staff will return to the commission if an amendment is necessary at renewal or if market conditions require formal adjustments.