Council members flag inflated bids for South Jefferson paving; city seeks ODOT inclusion

Council members raised concerns Aug. 26 about two bids for the South Jefferson paving project that were rejected as inflated.

Councilmember Hancock said the first and second bids were turned down; council members noted the city engineer was on vacation while the bids were reviewed. Council discussion singled out large mobilization fees (cited at roughly $65,000) and traffic-control costs (approximately $100,000) as primary drivers of the high total price.

One council member said the overall bid results were about 124% (the transcript comments compared that against a 120% legal limit), and noted the city had approached the Ohio Department of Transportation about including the project in ODOT’s paving program for 2026. “We’ve already had conversations with ODOT about including that project on their paving program for next year,” a councilmember said.

Why it matters

Council members said the bid overages affect the city’s ability to award the contract within legal and budgetary limits and could delay resurfacing work on South Jefferson. Inclusion in ODOT’s program could change timing and funding for the project.

What was not specified

The transcript did not include the name of the bidder(s) or the city engineer’s detailed written comparison of bids; council members referenced discussions and percentages but did not read a formal memo into the record during the meeting.

Next steps

Council indicated staff would continue comparisons and coordination with ODOT. The item remains under staff review and will return for council action when a clear funding or contract path is available.