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Saline County approves exception to bidding to separate electrical service at old jail; Precision Electrical to proceed
Summary
The Saline County Board of Commissioners approved an exception to the county purchasing policy to hire Precision Electrical to install a new transformer and separate electrical service between the old jail and court services, with county administrator authority to approve up to $25,000 in additional unforeseen costs.
Saline County commissioners voted Feb. 11 to approve an exception to the county's competitive-bidding rules to hire Precision Electrical to separate electrical service between the old jail and the adjoining court services building.
The move, approved by unanimous voice vote, allows Precision Electrical to install a new transformer outside the court services building and to disconnect court services from the old jail so the county can further decommission the jail portion of the facility. Hannah Bette, deputy county administrator, presented the request and said the contractor is available to begin work immediately.
"Precision Electrical did propose a bid price of $6,067,955 dollars, but also due to some of the unknowns ' staff would request that the county administrator have the authority to expend up to $25,000 above that base bid to cover some of those unforeseen costs," Bette said during her presentation.
Commission discussion focused on balancing the need to move quickly against the county's procurement rules. Commissioners asked whether alternative local electrical firms had been contacted and whether a formal competitive process would be preferable. Staff said preparing a full request for proposals would require outside subject-matter expertise and potentially 90 to 120 days before work could begin, and that ongoing water and freeze damage at the old jail created urgency to act.
One commissioner emphasized staff time already spent on the building and said the county should proceed to avoid further damage that could increase costs; another urged caution but ultimately supported the exception. The motion to approve the exception and proceed with Precision Electrical passed by voice vote.
The board recorded no objections at the vote and the chair declared the motion carried. The county will proceed under the single-contractor exception allowed by policy, with the county administrator authorized to approve up to $25,000 in additional expenditures beyond Precision Electrical's base bid to cover unforeseen conditions.
