Wayne County panel approves slate of road, maintenance and service contracts

Wayne County commissioners voted on Feb. 24 to approve a package of contracts and intergovernmental agreements covering road maintenance, equipment parts, janitorial services and pump‑station design, moving a set of items forward without separate roll-call votes.

The action was taken after staff described the county’s needs and the reasons for several retroactive or amended contracts. Commissioner Palamera moved and Commissioner Clemente supported a motion “to receive and file Item 1 and approve Items 2 through 12”; the chair called the vote and the motion carried.

Why it matters: The contracts and agreements cover operations that affect daily road upkeep, public‑safety equipment readiness and wastewater systems. Staff said the approvals ensure continued service delivery through the freeze‑thaw season, maintain fuel‑island infrastructure, and fund engineering design work for bridges and pump stations.

Key items approved included:

• Pothole repair services: Staff described Amendment 1 to a three‑year professional services contract (with two one‑year renewal options) with LGC Global to continue cold‑patch pothole repairs. Division director Steve Sha said the county deploys both in‑house and contractor crews during freeze‑thaw cycles to address high pothole volumes; new roads staffer Zena Ridley introduced herself as the roads division executive project manager.

• Fuel‑tank inspections and repairs: An amendment to continue Phoenix Environmental’s inspections and maintenance at the criminal justice complex and the South Wayne yard was approved; staff said the work is critical to fuel‑island operations.

• Retroactive janitorial contract: A five‑year contract with Southern Cleaning Service for janitorial and window cleaning at the central maintenance yard was approved retroactively after procurement staff said solicitation files were transposed among three concurrent solicitations (CMY, FEO and parks). Michelle Yan, a county procurement administrator, said the paperwork mix‑up caused the delay but that services were needed immediately for sanitation; the contract includes a 30‑day out clause for unsatisfactory performance.

• Parts and equipment: The committee approved continuation agreements with Napa/Kirk’s Automotive (aftermarket parts), Bill Jones Enterprises DBA Metro Airport Truck (heavy‑truck repairs and parts) and other vendors. Fiscal staff asked for justification of higher not‑to‑exceed amounts where recent spending had been materially lower than the requested ceilings.

• Pump‑station design and SCADA: An amendment with Tetrate Tech of Michigan will extend design services for 15 pump stations, add proposed design for a further 17, and implement initial SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) setup for all 32 pump stations so staff can receive remote alerts and respond more quickly to flooding or equipment faults.

• Traffic signal modernization and greenways: Staff presented an intergovernmental agreement with the city of Leavonia for traffic‑signal modernization at Five Mile Road and Leavon Road and a Michigan Department of Transportation agreement for intersection improvements and a shared‑use path in 10 Downriver communities, part of the Detroit River Downriver Link Greenways project.

What commissioners asked: Members probed procurement practices, contract lengths and local presence for contractors, and asked for more detailed fiscal breakdowns when ceiling amounts exceeded recent spend. Fiscal staff flagged where not‑to‑exceed amounts were materially higher than historical averages.

Next steps: Staff will proceed with the approved contracts and agreements and implement the stated procurement remedies where files were transposed. The committee received the January complaint report and closed the items approved under the consent motion.