Town upholds low bid, awards Grand Ave Phase 8 & 9 contract and approves HUD CDBG amendments

At its Feb. 26 meeting the Town of Union Board approved Planning Department resolutions to amend the FFY 2024–2025 CDBG Annual Action Plan and awarded the Grand Avenue Phase 8 & 9 street reconstruction contract to the low bidder.

Planning-related motions moved by Councilman David Kudgus and seconded by Councilman Frank J. Bertoni authorized submission to HUD of amendments reallocating FFY 2024–2025 CDBG funds: increase Village of Johnson City funding to $600,000 (from an unallocated balance reallocated among Home Improvement, Demolition, Administrative and Grand Ave Phase 8 & 9 IDIS accounts) and increase Village of Endicott funding to $300,000 (from unallocated funds). The board adopted the resolutions "All yes." The minutes list the specific allocations and IDIS numbers used in the amendment.

During a public hearing before those votes, attorney Jeffrey Jaketic, representing G De Vincentis Construction, asked the board to protest the award to Dan Brown Construction and to reopen bidding, asserting "His understanding is that the bid was not even submitted." Deputy Town Attorney Mark Spinner told the board that the discrepancy centered on published dates in the bid documents and public notice, but that "the town must reward the bid to the lowest responsible bidder" and that a rebid would not be appropriate because the protesting firm's bid was not the low bid.

The board then accepted and awarded the Grand Ave Phase 8 & 9 street reconstruction project to Dan Brown Construction, LLC for their low bid, not to exceed $670,774.00. The motion (Res. by Kudgus, Seconded by Bertoni) passed unanimously.