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DeKalb County rescinds contractor counterproposal and offers revised paving contract at $196,710
Summary
Commissioners rejected a contractor's counterproposal for County Road 17 as not meeting county specifications, voted to rescind the unsigned agreement and offered a revised contract at $196,710.34 with a 30‑day signing window; both actions passed 3–0.
DeKalb County commissioners voted March 16 to reject a contractor’s counterproposal for paving on County Road 17 and to offer a new contract at a revised price.
The dispute centered on a quote from Westrick/Westwick LLC that county highway officials said omitted required work — including stone base, soil stabilization and a triple chip seal — and was “very vague.” Kelly/Ben (highway department official) told the board the county’s current material and labor estimate for the job is roughly $196,710.34, and that the contractor’s written proposal would not meet the county’s roadbuilding specifications.
“We need to make sure that that is done properly and right because otherwise we’re going to have a lot of failures and a lot of maintenance going forward,” Ben said, arguing the contractor’s counterproposal was short of what the work requires.
County attorney Andrew told the board that because the contractor had not signed the November draft, the county could rescind the prior offer and reissue terms. Commissioners then voted, 3–0, to reject the contractor’s counterproposal and to send a new contract with the updated price and a 30‑day signing period. “If they’re not going to sign it, what good does it do?” Andrew said when describing why the county should send the document to the contractor for signature.
The county’s earlier file on the project showed an expectation that Westrick would pay $157,000 to the county under prior terms; commissioners said the new offer reflects current material and oil price escalation and added work specifications. The board asked staff to update the contract and send it to the contractor for signature.
The motion to rescind and to offer the new contract passed unanimously.
What comes next: the county will send the updated contract to the contractor with a 30‑day signature window; if the contractor declines, the county said it will proceed with its highway department’s planned work.
Article provenance: discussion and motions on the Westrick paving contract began with the arrival of county counsel and the highway department presentation (topic started during the attorney/contract discussion) and continued through the board’s motions to rescind and to offer a new contract.
