April 24, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
Too High!
Construction of a new fire hall in the Four Seasons Community will have to wait a while longer after the County Commission Monday night voted to re-bid the project concluding that the two bids received were too high.
Bids were opened for the fire hall on March 29 and two were received including one for $284,000 from Preston Brothers of Woodbury (minus $11,000 if the county put the gravel on the parking lot) and $197,000 from FTM Contracting of Cookeville (deductive alternate of $2,400).
Members of the county budget committee met April 9 and voted 4 to 1 to recommend to the county commission that the project move forward with the lowest bidder and that it be funded using $100,000 already allocated for the fire hall plus an additional $100,000 from the capital projects fund which has $588,000 in available money from the unrestricted fund balance account.
“I think those bids are way high. I have done some research and talked to three contractors and they have all told me the same thing. I even called a company and their bid (not turnkey) to do the building, the slab, do the insulation, and the doors is $32,768. I think we could save the county a lot of money if we re-bid this. I just believe it is out of line. The way they have it on the low bid figures at $90 per square foot. I just think it’s too high,” said 2nd District Commissioner Jimmy Midgett.
According to County Mayor Tim Stribling, plans call for the fire hall to be 40’ x 55’ in size consisting of two bays, a restroom, shower, and a small meeting room. He said while the plans do not include any frills it will be a turnkey project with all the work including construction, concrete pad, septic tank, etc all to be done under one contract.
Midgett made a motion that the project be re-bid. All members present voted in favor of Midgett’s motion.
Plans are to advertise for new bids as early as next week with a projected bid opening date of May 24 and then to present the recommended bid to the county commission for final approval by the next monthly meeting on Tuesday, May 29 after Memorial Day.
A new fire station at Four Seasons would be the 12th station in the county operated by the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department. The other fire halls are on Short Mountain Highway, Midway Community, Belk, Keltonburg, Cookeville Highway, Austin Bottom Community, Liberty, Temperance Hall, Main Station, Johnson Chapel, and Blue Springs.
In other business, three members of the DeKalb County Beer Board were re-appointed to new two year terms and one new member has been named to fill a vacancy.
The County Commission Monday night approved the reappointment of Beer Board members Myron Rhody in the 2nd District, Robert Rowe in the 4th District, and Leonard Dickens in the 6th District. A new member, John Hummer will succeed Rhonda Caplinger in the 5th District. She recently resigned after having moved out of the 5th District. Hummer will serve out the remaining year of Caplinger’s term and will be up for reappointment to a two year term next year.
In 2016, the commission voted to set terms for members of the beer board. All seven members serve as appointees and the terms are staggered with the 1st, 3rd, 5th, & 7th district positions being appointed in odd years. The 2nd, 4th, & 6th district seats are filled in even years. The beer board is to re-organize (name officers) every year.
Members of the beer board are Jim Stagi in the 1st district, Myron Rhody in the 2nd district, Edward Frazier in the 3rd district, Robert Rowe in the 4th district, John Hummer in the 5th district, Leonard Dickens in the 6th district, and Johnny King in the 7th district.