Simpson County Fiscal Court accepts $96,665 bid to replace collapsed culvert on Neely Road

Simpson County Fiscal Court voted at a special-called meeting Sept. 9 to accept a $96,665 bid from Scott & Murphy Inc. to replace a collapsed culvert on Neely Road (County Road 1343) that has closed the road to through traffic.

The motion to accept the Scott & Murphy bid was made by East Magistrate Marty Chandler and seconded by South Magistrate Myron Thurman; the court recorded yes votes from Chandler, Thurman and County Judge-Executive Mason Barnes. West Magistrate Jeffrey Burr and North Magistrate Scott Poston were recorded absent. The court authorized Judge-Executive Mason Barnes to sign any documents associated with the project.

Clerk Pam Rohrs reported that two bids were received after public advertisement: Galusha Contracting, LLC quoted $92,000 with a proposed start date of Nov. 4, 2024 (the county share under the meeting’s stated 80/20 funding split would be $18,400); Scott & Murphy Inc. quoted $96,665 with a proposed start date of Oct. 1, 2024 (county share estimated at $19,333). The court stated the decision favored the later bid because of the earlier proposed start date and the urgent need to replace the drainage structure and reopen Neely Road for through traffic.

The action is limited to authorizing the contract award and signature authority; the transcript does not specify contract terms beyond the bid amounts and start dates, nor does it list funding source accounts or a project completion schedule. The meeting was called to order at 8:30 AM and adjourned at 8:33 AM.

Next procedural steps implied by the motion: county staff or the judge-executive will execute contract documents with Scott & Murphy Inc. and coordinate an Oct. 1, 2024 start; the record does not show a required county budget amendment, grant approval, or outside agency sign-off in this segment.

(Reporting note: names, roles and figures are taken from the meeting record.)