County approves construction contract and $6,853.95 draw for Get Ready broadband project

The Greenbrier County Commission voted April 21 to finalize a construction contract with Quanta for the county’s Get Ready broadband project and to approve draw request No. 19, which commits $6,853.95 in local matching funds for a package of invoices.

Amanda, a county staff member, told commissioners that Quanta’s contract and legal review are complete and that the county is prepared to sign so the state can issue a notice to proceed. “We hope to have a notice to proceed from the state. If not today, then at the latest by the end of the week,” Amanda said.

On draw request No. 19, Amanda explained that some invoices lacked preallocated match funds. Two engineering invoices to Thompson & Litton ($14,100 and $8,000) carried ARPA match commitments of $3,525 and $2,000, respectively. A larger equipment invoice of $1,020,761.69 included a 25% make-ready portion that produced a county commitment of $1,328.95; together the commission’s match commitment on the package is $6,853.95. “So 25% of that make ready in that invoice is $1,328.95. That would be what the commitment would be from the commission,” Amanda said.

Commissioners approved both the contract-signing motion and the draw request by voice votes. Chair (speaker 3) asked for any scheduling clarifications; a contractor representative noted the commission would ideally issue the notice to proceed and hold a preconstruction meeting by Friday, the 24th, to meet grant and construction timeframes.

The commission’s action allows the contractor to proceed with preconstruction steps once the state issues its notice. The county’s approved local match will be drawn from previously allocated ARPA and commission funds as part of the project’s budget plan.