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Highlands board adopts pole‑attachment changes, approves Frontier deal and awards multiple infrastructure contracts
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Summary
The board adopted amendments to the pole‑attachment ordinance to track North Carolina statute, approved a five‑year Frontier Communications contract, awarded the Highway 64 force‑main rehab to the next responsive bidder and approved a $1.599 million guaranteed maximum price for a recreation playground design‑build contract.
Highlands commissioners on March 19 approved a suite of infrastructure and contract actions: they amended the town’s pole‑attachment ordinance to align with the cited "North Carolina general statute 62 3 50," approved a five‑year contract with Frontier Communications and accepted a recommended bidder for the Highway 64 force‑main rehabilitation. Separately, the board approved a design‑build contract for a new playground with a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of $1,599,470.67.
Matt Schuler presented the ordinance changes as a move to align town code with state statute and to create a pathway for contracts with utility providers. "It's almost worded as such that they would prefer you have the contract," Schuler said, explaining that the statute and contract framework allow the town to invoice or, if necessary, perform repairs and recover costs. The town attorney confirmed the changes track the statute and can provide a process to address downed or abandoned lines after storms.
The board also approved a five‑year contract with Frontier Communications, part of the town’s effort to ensure contractual obligations and response remedies for pole and attachment issues; staff noted compliance provisions (60 days to cure issues; $100 per day fines per pole thereafter) and said the contract was developed with legal review.
On infrastructure procurement, staff recommended rejecting Dan Grady Company LLC as the low bidder for the Highway 64 Force Main Rehab project and instead accepting the next responsive bidder, Letford and Parker Inc., for $314,260 plus $31,000 contingency (total $345,260), a recommendation the board approved.
Finally, staff presented a design‑build contract for a new playground at the recreation department. The guaranteed maximum price is $1,599,470.67—within the town’s $1.6 million budget cap—and the board approved the contract so equipment can be ordered and construction planning can continue.
What happens next: Staff will finalize contracts and begin project implementation and procurement steps including ordering playground equipment, executing the Frontier contract, and starting final engineering for the force‑main project.
