Jennings County to review multiple bids for 60x100 Rabbit/4‑H barn; award set for Nov. 6

Jennings County commissioners accepted a set of contractor bids for a new 60-by-100 poultry/Rabbit 4‑H barn and will review the proposals and award the contract at their next meeting on Nov. 6.

County staff said the project is scheduled so the old barn is torn down and a new structure is ready before the county fair this year. Commissioners heard several written bids for concrete work, pole‑barn shells and turnkey proposals for a 60-by-100 building.

Bids presented at the meeting included: Skyler Sibley Concrete, $110,500 (total concrete work); Reasonable Construction, total roughly $118,676 (barn $86,743.83, concrete $31,932.80); Cohen’s Home Improvements and Snow Removal, $67,300 (complete building); William Schwartz (two options: pole barn with concrete $270,000 and pole barn without concrete $185,000); Nathan Wiki (pole barn with concrete $230,000; without concrete $150,000); and Brandon Construction, $92,005.70 for the barn with an additional $41,005.50 listed for concrete and $6,800 for demolition (the demolition cost will be subtracted because county staff said they will handle demo themselves).

A commissioner moved to accept all bids for further review; another commissioner seconded. The motion passed unanimously, and commissioners said they would return on Nov. 6 to award the contract after staff compiles and reviews the bids. County staff asked that the commissioners review the spreadsheets and provide a recommendation at the next meeting.

The county did not award the project at the meeting; commissioners directed staff to present a recommended low bidder and adjusted totals that remove county‑handled demolition before the Nov. 6 award vote.