City reject bids for concession stand for second time

The Daleville City Council rejected bids for a concession stand project at Culpepper Park for the second time during its regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 6.

The city received two bids for the project from Wyatt Sasser Construction and Navigator International.

Navigator International presented the lowest bid at $287,670.47. Wyatt Sasser Construction bid $468,772 for the project. Both bids were rejected.

The council voted to rebid the project during the council’s June 4 meeting after initial bid prices came in higher than the funds budgeted for the project were rejected on May 8.

In the first round of bids, the lowest bid totaled $296,590.55. The city council has budgeted $150,000 for the project.

The city has been discussing a two-story concession stand project since 2016, when the costs for the project doubled. Discussions started again in October 2018, and the item of business was tabled in October and November 2018.

In December 2018, Civil Southeast Engineering Group then visited the council to show some building features available and cost estimates for building both a one-story, estimated to be around $350,000, and a two-story concession stand, estimated to be around $450,000.

In a December 2018 meeting, the council voted to authorize Mayor Jayme Stayton to start the process to have plans drawn for a new, two-story concession building.

During a January work session, Stayton presented preliminary plans for a new, two-story concession stand to the council. The council voted to create specifications for the project on Jan. 15. On April 15, Stayton presented the final plans to the council that were originally sent for bids.

During the council’s work session on June 3, Joe Donofro, with Donofro Architects, spoke with the council about possible ways to reduce the price of the project, including completing demolition, sodding and grass repair, laying the sidewalks outside the concession stand and painting work in house.

During the council’s Aug. 5 work session, Stayton told the council nothing else could be removed or changed from the specs to reduce the cost of the project.

“They can’t take anything else off,” he said. “This is as low as they can get it.

“The only other option is one that we did talk about, and Henry (Steagall) said the City of Daleville has done it before, is we may have to do an add-on and a remodel. We may have to get prices on it because this is way over our (budget) that we agreed on.”

Stayton said the city, itself, could consider hiring a foreman and team to complete the project, a remodeling of the concession stand, to the specifications of the city.

“The hardest part is we have to add on because our biggest trouble out there is our bathrooms,” he said. “The bathrooms have to be bigger and handicap accessible.”

Council member Jo Reese asked who would be liable for the project, which Stayton replied it would be the city.

“(Henry Steagall) said it was a way to save $50,000 or so,” he said. “You won’t have to have the contractor and stuff.”

Reese asked if the council will “have some firm figures” when the council votes on it.

“Any time you don’t have a general contractor, you save, but I have a real concern about who are we going to look at if something’s not done properly,” she said. “I want to be able to tag somebody that is contractually liable and responsible and bonded, so if something isn’t done properly, it is made right.”

Stayton said City Attorney Henry Steagall could explain the details of not having a general contractor for the project.

In other business, the council voted to price and purchase a municipal flag that includes the city’s logo encircled in the center of the flag. The flag would also feature a red border.

The council tabled action on bids for the city’s paving project near Edith Way, Lakeview Drive, Heritage Drive and part of Holman Bridge Road. City Clerk Angelia Filmore said the city projected the cost to be around $250,000.

Wiregrass Construction entered the lowest bid for the project at $259,408.50. MidSouth Paving entered a bid for $320,599.

Filmore said the bids include alternatives that address paving townhouse parking lots near Edith Way and Lakeview Drive. The townhouse paving project was first introduced by Council member Scott Moore during the council’s Feb. 4 work session, who suggested to the council research receiving a quote from contractors to pave the parking areas.

The council also approved a one-year contract for a new CAD (computer-aided display) system for the Daleville Department of Public Safety.

“With this right here, they can take all of our old records, too, and put them over into this (system),” Police Chief Allen Medley told the council during the Aug. 5 work session. “It’s just a good way to keep up with the calls.”

Medley said the current system does not have a software update available.

“The one we’ve got now… it’s on the verge of crashing. If it crashes, then we’re going to go back to pencil and pen,” he said.

During the Aug. 5 work session, Stayton told the council the funds for the new system comes from the city’s E-911 funds. The cost for the new system, installation and training is $48,538. Annual maintenance costs are $6,000.

The next council meeting will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 20, at 5:30 p.m. at city hall.