Escalon council rejects bids for county-funded library improvements, authorizes rebid

Escalon City Council on Tuesday voted to reject bids for a library improvement project funded by San Joaquin County and authorized staff to rebid the work.

The item stemmed from a contract the city is managing on the county's behalf for improvements to a city-owned building used by the county library. “The current arrangement is it is a city building and a county use,” staff told the council, adding the county agreed to fund improvements worth “upwards of $300,000.”

Council members raised two issues before voting: whether the county would reimburse the city for staff time spent managing the project, and whether the council could see a bid-tabulation sheet when the item returns for award. One council member said the apparent low bidder had been deemed nonresponsive, and that the lone responsive bid received was “significantly above the engineer's estimate.” The council asked staff to include a simple bid tabulation (contractor A/B and amounts) when the award returns for council action.

City staff said they would rebid “as soon as possible” and that they had begun discussions with the county about covering any gap if the next responsive bids exceed the currently allocated funding. Public Works Superintendent Collins and the city manager confirmed the city would manage construction on the county-funded work while the county remains the funding source.

Council Member Jeff K. moved to reject the bids and authorize staff to rebid; the motion was seconded and carried with all present voting in favor.

The council directed staff to return with the rebid results and to include a bid-tabulation sheet at award for greater transparency.

The rebid does not change the $300,000 funding figure announced by staff; whether the county will cover any amount above that remains subject to further discussion with county officials.