Bedminster committee rejects Burnt Mills dog park bids after proposals come in over estimate

Bedminster Township Committee voted unanimously Jan. 20 to reject all bids for the Burnt Mills Dog Park and its asphalt sidewalk work after the two proposals received exceeded the engineer's estimated budget.

Robin (municipal staff) told the committee that two bid packages were picked up from the engineer's office but only two bids were submitted and both were above the project estimate; one bidder was found to have a minor calculation error but officials said that did not drive the recommendation to reject. The resolution (20 26 0 3 6) was approved with a roll-call vote that the clerk recorded as five ayes.

Public commenter Michael Roden urged a different design, objecting to the planned six-foot fence and a paved perimeter path. "I am 100% against the 6 foot fence," Roden said, arguing that River Road Park's five-foot fence has proven sufficient and that the current plan prioritizes fencing and pavement over park features and water access.

Mayor Jacobs and staff said the township intends to re-advertise the project and encouraged the engineer to reach out to more contractors to increase competitive interest. "We would have to go back out to re-advertise," a staff member said during the discussion; the committee approved the resolution directing staff to do so.

The committee also noted site constraints raised by commenters — limited public water at Burnt Mills and challenging soils — and said future bid documents will consider those items and, as appropriate, revise scope or specifications before re-bidding. No new contract was awarded at the meeting.

What happens next: township staff will revise the solicitation and re-advertise the Burnt Mills Dog Park project; no timeline for re-bid opening was specified at the meeting.