Cadiz Road project to be rebid
WINTERSVILLE -- Members of Village Council have voted to reject all three construction bids submitted for the Cadiz Road improvement project.
Mayor Mike Petrella and Village Administrator Jesse Kosegi said during Thursday’s meeting that when all of the bids came back on Tuesday, they were well above the $1,833,734 cost estimate from the village’s engineering firm.
“I don’t know why,” Kosegi said after saying the bids were all significantly higher than the projected cost.
Because all of the bids exceeded Ohio’s 20 percent contingency allowance, none could be accepted and the project will have to be rebid.
“We have to break it down and look at where we can save money or what the issue was,” Kosegi said.
The project will include the replacement of a mile-long section of water line between the village water tank on Woodridge Drive and Park Drive; repaving the road from the intersection with Canton Road to Park Drive; and the replacement of sections of sidewalk along both sides, as well as the installation of handicap-accessible curbs.
Submitting bids for the work were Cronin Enterprises Civil and Rail of Imperial, Pa., $2,352,093; James White Construction Co. of Weirton, $2,549,157; and Border Patrol LLC of Hopedale, $2,574,137.
One of the points, Kosegi added, was that the estimate called for $174,000 for traffic control. That’s a job that could be performed by the village’s police department, he explained.
Petrella said another reason could be the cost of asphalt that will be needed for the final paving in the early spring. He added that prices generally go up on Jan. 1, which means the companies could not know for sure what that cost would be. That’s an area the engineers are looking at.
He added the goal is to have the issues cleared up and the project put back out for bid by the end of the month.
“Everything is going to have to go back out to bid after we make some adjustments,” he said. “The goal is to have the bid advertisement back out the week of July 27. That’s not 100 percent, but that is the goal after multiple discussions with the engineers, and once they speak to everyone who did bid and see where the issues were, obviously, to make sure we can get this accurate this time.”
In other business, Kosegi said new LED lighting had been installed along Grove Street leading up to the Village Building and the parking lot. He said the lighting made a big difference in the area and thanked Frank Baldwin, the local business service account manager for AEP Ohio, for his help with the project.
“He’s phenomenal -- he gets it done,” the administrator said.
LED lighting will be installed along Cadiz Road, as well, Kosegi said.
Council received a $10,000 from the Jefferson County commissioners as the village’s share of the county’s recreation funds.
“This is my hometown, and I am proud of it, and proud of what you are doing here,” Commissioner Tony Morelli said while presenting the money. It’s very noticeable -- it’s a lot of hard work. You have to have a team, and you seem to be working very well.”
Petrella said the village’s Summer Parks Program will continue through July 31 and added that children can still register to participate either at the Walnut Street location or the Village Building. Activities run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. It’s open to children between the ages of 5 and 13, and those under 5 must be accompanied by an adult.
Molly Pizzoferrato is serving as the director, he added.
The mayor also recognized Steubenville Police Chief Kenny Anderson, who is retiring after a 33-year career in law enforcement.
“He’s been a good friend of mine for a long time, and I know he’s been a good friend of our Chief Lou Vandeborne,” Petrella said. “He’s been a very good friend to the village’s police department since he has been chief, and even before that. We want to wish him a happy retirement -- he definitely deserves it after all of his years in law enforcement.”
Wes Crawford will be Steubenville’s new chief.
In other matters:
• Council learned that the village was working with the summer youth work experience partnership operated through the Jefferson County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Participants were working in the village last week and will be back Tuesday through Friday, pulling weeds, painting and doing other assignments, Petrella said;
• Petrella welcomed one of the village’s newest businesses to town -- Lock and Load Coffee Co., located at 419 Cadiz Road;
• The mayor reported that the village had received $69,176.53 in marijuana tax revenue from the state for June;
• Council approved paying $1,130 for its annual dues to the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission;
• Petrella reminded village citizens that when they have issues they can contact either him or Kosegi directly or reach out to a member of council. He said if he and the administrator aren’t in their offices, they will drive back to the Village Building to meet residents face-to-face and discuss their issues. Petrella added that residents should not always rely on social media for their information.
• Kosegi said that text notification of critical information, such as water line breaks and boil orders, will be available to residents soon.
• The village administrator said the survey on the old city building on Leonard Avenue was nearly complete.
• Kosegi said the Cross Creek Tomahawks 4-H Club planned to hold a car show from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Village Building. There will be food trucks and music by DJ Spikeman. A similar event last year was successful, he said, drawing around 100 cars.
The next council meeting will be at 7 p.m. Aug. 6.