Marion won’t do big paving job in-house

Marion won’t do big paving job in-house

Polk, Carter, Rica project to be contracted out

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Marion will contract the job out to pave L.H. Polk, Carter Drive, and Rica Road rather than have the street department do it in house.

The city council agreed to accept the recommendation of the street committee to approve a bid by Cox Paving for $256,413 to do the job.

'Even though (street department supervisor) Gordon (Floyd) has the equipment to do it, because there is a learning curve there we wanted to go ahead and get the work done because it would take Gordon a little longer to get it done in house,' said Mayor Frank Fogleman.

The city had to re-advertize the project a second because the original description called for the overlay to be completed by Aug. 1.

Cox Paving was the only bidder.

'We wanted it done by Aug. 1, but everybody's calendar was full,' Fogleman said. 'So we re-advertized it and removed the specific complete date.'

Councilman Bryan Jackson said there is some shoulder work which needs to be done first on L.H.

Polk which the street department will be able to do.

'I looked at it and it's not as tall as I thought it was,' Jackson said. 'It's about 20 or 30 feet on one of the sections. I think it is something Gordon can do.'

Floyd said they will need to put in two storm pits at the corner of L. H. Polk and Rica and possibly the corner of Carter and Rica.

'That's the only two pieces I'm really concerned about,' Floyd said. 'The shoulder work we can pretty much handle and put some sod in to hold it in place. I think we can do most of it.'

Fogleman said in the meantime, Floyd and the street department will work on overlaying some smaller streets to learn the new equipment.

Last month the city purchased a 2012 LeeBoy 8515 asphalt paver with only 123 hours on it for $130,000 which will allow the city to do most of its road repairs in-house rather than having to bid it out.

'Gordon has some streets picked out that he wants to work on,' Fogleman said.

'So we are going to accept the bid to do the overlay on those streets and give Gordon and his crew some

more time to learn.’

By Mark Randall