FORESTVILLE - Promptly at 11 a.m. recently, Eric Weiss, the engineer in charge of the Forestville water project, announced it was time to open the bids for the water project.
Bidders, village trustees Beth Bowker, Linda Aures and Kimberly Stott, deputy clerk and treasurer Saman-tha Kozlowski, and some members of the public present at the opening stopped talking and paid attention.
Five contractors submitted bids. The bids ranged from a low bid of $857,000 by H & K Services of Leon to a high bid of $1,117,400 from STC Construction, Inc. in Springville.
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OBSERVER Photo by Diane R. Chodan
Eric Weiss, engineer overseeing the water project in Forestville, opens a bid. The specifications call for the contractor to first work replacing the water main.
There will be one contractor for the total water project. In addition Weiss explained that the first part of the project was replacing the water main. According to the specifications of the bid, this must be done in 30 days after the company chosen starts work.
Weiss explained the next steps. The lowest bidder, H & K, does not automatically receive the contract, but generally this happens if everything is in order. Weiss said, he will check references and then his company will issue a recommendation. That can take about two or three days. The contractor has to get bond insurance and approval by the attorney which could take another 10 days.
Bowker hoped the work would start soon. "We need to get going," she said. She explained there were more leaks this week near Eagle Street.
In answer to Ron Lineman's question about the legality of the bid at the last board meeting, Weiss said, "We legally met our obligation."
He said that he placed notification into the papers that construction contractors read. He also contacted all the companies that were "plan holders."
"Those are people who purchase the specifications," he explained.
Eleven companies purchased the specifications and five bids were submitted.
Comments on this article may be directed to dchodan@observertoday.com
