Upper Milford supervisors reject one bidder, approve Minichi bid for Quarry Road bridge in 2–1 vote

The Upper Milford Township Board of Supervisors voted to reject one construction bid and award the Quarry Road bridge contract to another, approving a $187,000 bid from Minichi, Inc. while rejecting CMR Construction Inc.’s $181,184 bid for failing to meet PennDOT prequalification requirement S2.

Manager Edward Carter summarized a letter from township engineers at Rettew explaining that construction bids exceeded earlier expectations because material prices rose after August. Carter told the Board the bridge serves six residences and that funding could come from operating budgets if available or be appropriated from the capital reserve if needed.

Supervisor John D. Zgura, the lone dissenting vote on the award, urged the Board to take more time to evaluate options. "They just don't know what else to do even though it is expensive," Zgura said, arguing for further deliberation. Supervisor Joyce K. Moore made the motion to approve Minichi’s bid, which Supervisor Daniel J. Mohr seconded; Moore and Mohr voted in favor and Zgura opposed, and the motion carried.

The Board previously voted to reject CMR Construction’s bid after staff identified the firm did not meet PennDOT prequalification S2; that motion carried unanimously. The approval of Minichi’s bid was expressly made contingent on the company’s submission of an appropriate bond and acceptance of contract terms by Township staff and the Solicitor, Marc Fisher.

The minutes record that some members of the public asked where extra money for the project would come from; staff said the Township could absorb the cost through the year if revenues allowed or draw from capital reserves. The minutes do not record a final funding source or a timetable for construction.

The Board gave no further details on the project schedule in the minutes; Solicitor Marc Fisher and staff retained authority to finalize contract terms and bonding before work begins.