Simpson County Fiscal Court awards Kenny Perry Bridge contract, seeks state bridge funds

Simpson County Fiscal Court on July 5 authorized awarding the Kenny Perry Bridge construction contract to Scott & Murphy Inc., approving the only bid received at $794,700 with a reduction for signage ($34,300) and authorizing County Judge Executive Mason Barnes to sign any associated project documents.

The court also authorized staff to apply for FY23/24 Rural Secondary 80/20 Bridge Program funds to help pay for the Kenny Perry Bridge project. The application authorization carries the same signature authorization for Judge Executive Barnes. The court noted project excavation is expected to be less than the bid amount; the bid was the sole response to public advertisement. (Motion Chandler; second Burr; vote: Barnes, Chandler, Burr, Thurman and Poston — unanimous.)

The action follows the county’s routine public-bid process. Public Works Director Bobby Groves was listed in the record as recommending the road project be included on the county’s priority list; the court also approved related road paving work and a Flex Road paving request that includes Kenny Perry (CR1150). The court approved the FY23/24 road paving list (including Roark Road and Sloss Road work) and a Flex Road list estimated at $132,681 for two roads.

The court’s approval of the bridge contract and the funding application together sets the project up to proceed pending execution of contract documents and, if awarded, the required state funding match under the Rural Secondary program. The minutes record that the county will subtract the cost of signage already estimated at $34,300 from the contract amount and that Judge Executive Barnes was authorized to sign documents to move the project forward.

Next procedural steps: execute contract documents and complete the FY23/24 Rural Secondary application; the record does not specify a construction start date.