County approves bid for renovations

County approves bid for renovations

Courthouse space to become conference room

news@theeveningtimes.com

Crittenden County has accepted the low bid to renovate the space next to the county judge’s office into a conference room.

Justice Joe Marotti, who chairs the county’s buildings committee, told the Quorum Court that they received two bids for the project — one for $14,800 from Suiter Construction, and one from Rushing Quality Flooring for $13,388.

Marotti said the committee stopped short though of making a recommendation on which one accept because both bids were comparable and both companies equally qualified to do the work.

“The committee decided to let the Quorum Court decide,” Marotti said. “We’re pretty neutral on that.”

The room is located to the right of the judge’s office where the postage machine is.

“I’ve worked with both,” said Justice Lisa O’Neal.

“Both men can do the job.

It truly is just about dollars and cents.”

Justice Lorenzo Parker said Quality Flooring has done work at his office in West Memphis and that he didn’t have any problems with them.

Parker said for him it comes down to price.

“My only factor is the cost and who is the lowest bidder,” Parker said.

The only difference aside from the price is that Quality Flooring asked to be paid 50 percent of the cost up front.

“Suiter didn’t ask for anything up front,” said Justice Vickie Robertson. “I’m a little leery about 50 percent.”

O’Neal said that was probably just a part of a standard bid quote and believes the county could negotiate that.

“If he came to your house and was going to do $14,000 of work, you would want half of that up front,” O’Neal said. “I think that is just a standard thing to that quote. But we can find out.”

Justice Ronnie Marconi also said he has done business with both companies and would be fine with either

choice.

“They both do quality work,” Ronnie Marconi said.

Justice Albert Marconi said his only concern is that Quality Flooring could get busy with other jobs and drag the job out.

Robertson said the county should consider putting a completion date in all of their contracts.

“And if they are not finished by the completion date then we can start talking about a charge back,” Robertson said. “But that’s for any of them in the future to keep them from dragging on.”

Quality Flooring did the flooring work in the renovated county clerk’s office. Marotti said the building committee wants the best job for the best price.

“We feel both companies will do a good job,” Marotti said. “Since it is so close we lean toward the cheapest price. Our responsibility is to the county. We don’t want any hard feelings with (County Treasurer) Charlie (Suiter). And we know there won’t be.”

Justice Hubert Bass made the motion to hire Quality Flooring.

By Mark Randall