Council approves $279,349.83 Russell Street repaving; orders formal bid for Croom Road striping

The Brooksville City Council on June 24 approved a $279,349.83 contract with Goodwin Brothers Construction to repave Russell Street and directed staff to formally solicit competitive bids for striping work on Croom Road.

Council heard from Richard Weeks of Goodwin Brothers, who said the Russell Street scope includes removing existing bricks (salvaging any in good condition), installing an 8‑inch lime rock base, 2 inches of asphalt, 116 square feet of sidewalk, paver crosswalks, curb removal, pavement striping and signage. “The total cost for this paving project is $279,349.83, and it will be funded using impact fees,” Weeks told the council. Weeks said crews would start work on June 27 and expected the street to be completed within about two weeks.

Councilmembers praised the scope but also discussed preservation options. Weeks reported that restoring the street with bricks had been estimated at roughly $1,400,000 and explained that, because the existing bricks had been milled, most could not be salvaged without a full reconstruction from the lime rock up.

On a separate but related agenda item, staff presented a Goodwin Brothers quote of $26,927 to perform full, legal striping on Croom Road — white edge lines, double‑yellow center lines, turn lane striping, stop bars and arrows, plus any required pavement work. Council members debated whether to use remaining funds from the current Goodwin contract to authorize the work directly or to follow procurement rules that require a formal bid for purchases over $20,000.

After questions about local vendor outreach, insurance requirements and the length of time a formal bid process would take, a council member moved to take the Croom Road striping to an invitation‑to‑bid. The council approved sending the work to bid on a roll‑call vote that passed 3–2. Several members emphasized that, if bids come back higher than expected, staff should return with alternatives such as striping intersections now and completing full stripe work later.

What’s next: Weeks said Russell Street work would begin June 27. For Croom Road, staff will prepare procurement documents and return with bids or a recommendation if the competitive process produces a different price or schedule.

Votes and motions: The Russell Street contract was approved by voice vote as passed 5–0. The motion to proceed with a formal bid for the Croom Road striping passed on roll call 3–2.

Context: Council members repeatedly discussed a local‑preference approach and the challenge of attracting larger contractors for small municipal jobs; procurement policy thresholds and fairness to vendors were central to the debate.