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Martin County delays Industrial Park water and sewer awards after bids exceed estimates; board offers conditional 50/50 local match
Summary
Bids for Martin County’s Industrial Park tank maintenance and gravity sewer work came in well above estimates, creating a roughly $200,000 funding gap. The board deferred awards to January and approved a conditional county 50/50 match if IDF increases its contribution.
The Martin County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 13 heard that bids for the Industrial Park water and sewer work exceeded the county's estimates, creating a funding shortfall and prompting a delay in awarding contracts.
Will Larsen of The Wooten Company told the board that a single bid for tank maintenance (Utility Service Company) totaled $308,400 and that the apparent low bidder for the gravity-sewer portion (Herring and Rivenbark) submitted a base bid of $813,292.50. Larsen said contractors' busy schedules and an unexpected equipment need — a new generator — contributed to higher prices and that bids were about $275,000 over what the county had anticipated; he estimated the remaining funding gap at roughly $200,000. The county will seek adjustments to scope where possible and pursue additional Industrial Development Fund (IDF) support.
County Manager David Bone said staff preferred not to award contracts at the meeting and recommended holding the award until January 2020 to give time for pricing revisions and funding discussions. The board agreed and deferred action.
Vice Chairman Dempsey Bond moved that Martin County offer a 50/50 local match so long as IDF provided additional funding for the elevated tank project; Commissioner Joe R. Ayers seconded the motion. The board approved the motion. The transcript notes Commissioner Ronnie Smith ended his phone participation before the meeting's end; later votes are recorded as approved in the minutes but precise vote tallies for some later motions are not specified in the record.
County staff and The Wooten Company will continue negotiations with apparent low bidders to remove or alter add-alternate features (for example, optional lighting priced at about $35,000) and to pursue grant and IDF options to close the gap. A decision to award is expected in January 2020, after additional funding information is available.
What happens next: staff will continue scope reviews with bidders and pursue IDF and other funding sources; the board authorized conditional county matching if state/local funding increases, and will revisit contract awards at the January meeting.
