County commissioners say they must either rebid or seek another contract method to build the new Chesapeake ambulance station.

Friday, September 17, 1999

County commissioners say they must either rebid or seek another contract method to build the new Chesapeake ambulance station.

Construction bids came in more than 10 percent higher than cost estimates, commissioners said Thursday.

The county and architect Bob Dalton have been working with Southeast Ohio Emergency Medical Services since early this year on new ambulance stations in Chesapeake and Ironton.

Chesapeake emergency crews had been using the old community center, without an ambulance garage. And Ironton crews have outgrown the city station, SEOEMS officials said.

SEOEMS purchased some land and worked out other financial details with Lawrence County, which funds a share of the multi-county agency.

The new station in Chesapeake will feature two bays while the Ironton project will have three.

The Ironton project has not been bid, but bids for the Chesapeake construction were advertised in three components – general, mechanical and electrical.

Concrete Contractors Plus Inc. bid the general contracting at $158,763. That totaled about $20,000 more than the original $138,750 estimate.

Four mechanical work bids came in between $40,000 and $62,000, which was more than double the estimate of $26,250.

Electrical work bids came in near the $22,500 estimate, totaling between $18,000 and $25,000.

Commission president Bruce Trent said figures for both projects might have to be discussed again with the architect and rebid.

The forecasted cost of construction might have been underestimated, officials said.

But it might be possible to construct the projects using a process other than bids, Patterson said.

The board took no action, except to plan further discussion next week.

"We need to get it as soon as possible because this has gone on too long as it is," commissioner Paul Herrell said.

In other action Thursday, commissioners:

– Sent the list of delinquent Union-Rome Sewer District users to the county auditor’s office.

Past due bill amounts totaling $81,854 will be added to users’ property tax bills.

About $90,000 in past due amounts are already tied up in courts, Patterson said.

"This is a lot of money the county could be using in operating the sewer system," he said.

Commissioners requested more information about how past due amounts are collected on property tax bills, indicating the money is needed as soon as possible.

– Heard from Lawrence County Emergency Services 911/EMA director Don Mootz about the most recent shipment of donated water.

The agency must cash a $4,000 check from the Wal-Mart Foundation to pay for a truckload of water waiting at the South Point Wal-Mart, Mootz said.

The bottled water will be distributed by trustees, he said.

And the agency will use a $2,000 cash donation from Dow Chemical to help fund future efforts to help people suffering from this summer’s drought, Mootz said.

Meanwhile, the county is awaiting word from state authorities on whether or not Lawrence will receive emergency grant assistance, Mootz said.

– Received a request from employees who want to use prior county employment to qualify for increases in longevity pay.

Commissioners referred the matter to their management consultant, Dick Lang, for further study.

– Received a letter from county engineer David Lynd about a speed limit change on County Road 70, Little Paddy Creek.

Traffic data, including accident reports that showed all but one of the 23 accidents occurring on the road in the last 10 years happened under the posted speed limit, indicate caution or warning signs might be more appropriate, the letter stated.

Commissioners approved a motion authorizing the appropriate signs.

– Approved the employment of Sandra Watson to the classification of clerk 1 at the Department of Human Services, effective Sept. 20.