Commission consents to assignment of county road contract; late start proposed for project

Commissioners consented to an assignment of a county construction contract, moving the existing J and R Sand contract to J and R Constructors Group LLC and binding the new entity to the original agreement.

CW Harper of engineering firm Kirkham Michael described the assignment and said legal counsel has reviewed the document. Harper introduced Eric Jones of J and R Constructors; commissioners approved the consent to assignment by show of hands (recorded as five in favor).

Harper and contractor representatives asked commissioners to agree to push the project’s late start date from May 1 to July 7 to accommodate material sourcing and agricultural harvest windows, and to remove the Kismet Main Street segment because Kismet must complete water-line work first. Commissioner discussion produced a consensus to extend the late start to July 7 and to take Kismet Main Street out of the immediate contract; staff said the change would be recorded in an addendum and returned to the commission for formal action.

Harper also reported on related projects: a bridge over Union Pacific (formerly referenced as BNSF in discussion of railroad coordination) that requires railroad direction on insurance for geotechnical work, and the Sotana Cutoff box-extension project, which is awaiting field check and eventual right-of-way acquisition. Commissioners did not vote on the schedule amendment during this meeting; staff described the extension as an agreed direction and said a written contract amendment will be presented for approval at a future meeting.