LULA — The Lula City Council will go with the low bidder for replacement of a problem sewer line on Pine Street.
After discussion at last week's work session about whether the city could perform the same work as a contractor, Mayor Milton Turner on Monday recommended the city award the contract to low bidder Higgins Construction Co.
The $123,240 bid by Higgins Construction Co. was substantially lower than the other five bids, according to City Manager Dennis Bergin, and has a built-in $5,000 contingency.
The project will be paid for from the city's portion of SPLOST 7 proceeds.
Councilman Garnett Smith made the motion to award the project to Higgins Construction Co., with Councilman Mordecai Wilson seconding and all four councilmen present voting in favor.
After the meeting, Bergin said the Pine Street sewer replacement will help the city alleviate some of the problems it has experienced with an old system pipe that allows infiltration during rain events.
"Hopefully that will take us a long way to starting to correct some of the issues we have with infiltration," Bergin said.
Bergin said a pre-construction meeting will be held within 30 days, then generally the sewer line replacement will be a 45-day project, allowing 10 to 15 days for weather events.
"If the city had to perform the work, which I know we're capable of, I know we've got other obligations and it would certainly double that amount of time for completion," Bergin said.
City officials decided informally they would rather use city forces to complete the Victoria Lane culvert replacement should bids not come in within the expected price range on that project.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2016/3/379238/lula-selects-cornelia-contractor-to-replace-sewer-line