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Krebs council awards $117,138 roof-and-masonry contract after questions about bid opening
Summary
Architects recommended Turner Roofing Services' $117,138 bid for community building roof and masonry work; a councilmember questioned whether bids were opened in public and the city attorney said published notice likely cured any defect. The council voted unanimously to award the contract.
The Krebs City Council on Nov. 19 voted unanimously to award a $117,138 contract for reroofing and masonry restoration of a city-owned building to Turner Roofing Services LLC after architects recommended the firm as the lowest qualified bidder.
The council heard that four bids were submitted: Turner Roofing Services LLC for $117,138, Buyers Company LLC for $333,989, Next Level Roofing for $64,000 (excluded because its bid omitted exterior masonry work), and Anytime Roofing for $138,800. City-appointed architects recommended the Turner bid as meeting the full scope of work.
Why it matters: council members expressed concern about procurement transparency after learning bids were opened by the architect outside a council meeting. Councilmember Connie Poole said she believed bids should be opened in front of the council and asked whether the earlier opening could create legal problems. "I don't want to legally get in trouble for y'all opening up bids where they're supposed to be opened up in front of all of us at a meeting," Poole said.
City attorney Mr. Tate said he could not point to a definitive statutory requirement on the record at the meeting but that publication of the opening time in the newspaper and the presence of at least one council member at the opening likely "cures" any procedural defect. An AIP representative had published the time in the paper, andJayme Busby, a utility billing clerk, confirmed she had been present when the bids were opened and questioned AIP about the procedure.
After discussion, Councilmember David Bailey moved to accept Turner Roofing Services' bid; Dan Heathcock seconded. Mayor Tommy Ray Walker called the vote: Dan Heathcock, Connie Poole, Jason Wagnon and David Bailey voted yes; the motion passed.
The council noted the architect estimated the work originally at roughly $180,000 and expressed relief at the lower price, while acknowledging weather and schedule could affect completion time. The city will execute the contract and issue a notice to proceed once paperwork is completed, with an approximate 60-day timeline reported by the architect.
The award followed the architects' recommendation and a legal review of the bid-opening procedure; the council did not set aside the award for rebidding.
