Fenton board awards $29,000 grading contract to prepare site for new salt barn

The Town of Fenton Town Board on March 25 approved hiring ZMK Construction to perform grading and compaction work on the pad for a proposed highway salt barn at a cost of $29,000.

Supervisor David Gunster and council members voted in favor of the contract after Councilman Thomas Cook presented two bids; Cook said ZMK's $29,000 estimate would prepare the site prior to construction of concrete footers and walls. "I hope it will be within a year so the grading will stay intact," Deputy Supervisor Thomas Moss asked about timing; Cook said he expects follow-up work to proceed in that timeframe. John Mastronardi of Griffiths Engineering is preparing blueprints for the required footers and walls.

Why it matters: the grading step readies town property for a dedicated salt-storage facility intended to support winter road maintenance. The town approved the motion to secure the site work now rather than delay grading and risk increased costs or erosion of the prepared pad.

Details: Cook moved that ZMK Construction "perform the site work necessary to prepare for the construction of the concrete footers and walls for the proposed Highway Department's salt barn that will include all of the grading and compacting of the pad where the new salt barn will be built at a cost of $29,000;" Moss seconded. The motion carried on a roll-call vote: Councilman Thomas Cook, Deputy Supervisor Thomas Moss, Councilman Richard Pray and Supervisor David Gunster voted aye; Councilman Michael Husar was absent.

Next steps: engineering drawings for footers and walls will be completed by Griffiths Engineering, and the board discussed completing footer and structural work within roughly a year to preserve the graded pad.