BOCC approves engineering contracts

BONIFAY – Holmes County Board of County Commissioners approved the engineering contracts for two major road projects at the regular meeting Tuesday morning.

The contract for Melvin Engineering for the $515,315 grant to resurface County 162 was approved for $74,720. 68, about 14.5 percent of the total grant. The second engineering contract for Greenhorne & O’Mera for Sandpath Road, however, drew more discussion.

The proposed contract included $82,900 (12 percent) for geotechnical engineering and $54,641.68 (8 percent) for construction engineering services for a total of 20 percent of the $683,021 grant. The Department of Transportation allows up to 25 percent of a grant to go for engineering services, and representatives of the engineering firm said the scope of work was higher for this project due to plans to start at State 90 and head south, as well as plans to widen parts of the road.

The proposed contract also included a clause for renegotiating payments if the work goes over the contract limit of 35 days.

“That’s sticking with me,” said Commissioner Kenneth Williams.

That clause was eventually removed by mutual agreement and the contract was approved by 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Jimmy King voting no.

“I’ve never seen a job come in at 12 percent,” King said.

In other business, the BOCC:

•Heard a presentation by Mike Alvis of Performance Realty acting as agent for Shawn Engram, owner of the Western Auto on Waukesha Street. Alvis said the owner is planning to sell two buildings and the storage sheds and offered them to the BOCC for $350,000 as space for additional County offices in the future. The buildings are next to the tax collector and property appraisal offices in the old Bank of Bonifay.

Western Auto currently pays about $3,600 a year in taxes according to documents presented by Alvis and the property appraiser has the property appraised at $335,000.

The BOCC will look over the proposal.

The BOCC also approved just holding one December meeting on Dec. 8 at 9 a.m.