County extends bid for fire station

After a lengthy discussion, the Marshall County Board of Supervisors extended the deadline for quotes on a contractor for the new fire station to go in the Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park.

County engineer Larry Britt recommended extending the deadline which was set to take quotes Feb. 2 at 10 a.m.

Only one quote was in hand received over the Internet. Britt wanted at least two quotes.

Attorney Amanda Whaley Smith advised the board not to open a second quote that came in enclosed in an envelope. It was also a quote taken off the Internet.

“Don't open it because of extending the deadline,” she advised. “I know it wasn't fair because the Internet has been down.”

District 3 supervisor Keith Taylor wanted the quote opened and said it could be rejected afterward.

“We put the deadline because we don't want it to go on and on,” Britt said.

He explained the request for bids went out to Central Bidding and he sent notification to five contractors. The electronic and only bid, at the moment, was not to be opened until the 10 a.m. Deadline.

“This board didn't set a deadline,” Taylor said. “We can always reject any quotes.” “I agree with the attorney,” said District 1 supervisor Charles Terry. “Weather. In all fairness and to be consistent in the future I'm going with what our attorney recommends.” “The law says get two quotes,” Taylor said. “I want to open it. The board of supervisors did not put a deadline on it.

“One came in and has not been opened. When electronic bids come in, it comes to Donna (Cooper) and she keeps it until the board meeting.”

“I also lean in the direction of the board attorney,” said District 4 supervisor George Zinn III. “My thoughts.”

Discussion concluded, Terry made a motion to follow the recommendation of attorney Smith, Zinn seconded, and the motion passed 4-1 with Taylor voting no.

Cooper, who was sitting in on the board meeting for county administrator Tim Powell, said she had quotes for work on Station #4 (Chulahoma) and the Marshall County Library.

Terry said all quotes go to the county administrator, “if that’s the decision made to the board.”

Britt said the board voted to extend the deadline.

“You talk about being consistent, we are not being consistent,” Taylor said. “The ones you don’t want to get it (the contract) is what it’s about. We need to be consistent on all sides.”

“I don’t have a clue who is quoting,” Terry said.

“To resolve the issue, set the deadline,” Zinn said. “I motion to extend it to 10 a.m. Feb. 7.”

Taylor asked if Britt got a cost estimate on a bill sent to Jackson (the legislature).

“The estimate is $14.9 million,” Britt said. “You changed it (the railroad overpass at Byhalia) to go over Old 78 and over to Bubba Taylor Road, more or less, through the northeast corner of the Industrial Park.”

Britt said bids for replacement of the Tippah River bridge were delayed upon approval of the Mississippi Department of Transportation because of a typographical error. He said he wants to open those bids Wednesday, Feb. 8.

Next, Britt presented an update on the design graphic for the ball fields at the Marshall County Fairgrounds.

A soccer field for youngsters has been added.

He discussed handling of sewer water.

“We have water but no sewer,” he said, adding that the Fairgrounds is about one mile from the Holly Springs city limits.

“We can put a small lift station and pump it back to the city,” he said. “It would be a good thing since between 500 to 600 people attend rodeos.”

Terry said the county would need an interlocal agreement with the City of Holly Springs.

“Could we extend the sewer using ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds?” he asked.

“I think you probably can,” Britt said. “The last cost estimate was $1.3 million before adding the last stuff Friday (to the ball field design).”

Taylor said the citizens need to know the county paid for ball fields after renegotiation of the new garbage bills the county will now pay for.

“You have a lot of three- to four-year-old kids who need a place to play,” he said.

“In Byhalia, they have fenced in a playground for small kids,” Britt said.

“It needs to be near the fields so parents can watch them,” Terry said.

“Parents can watch the ball game and the kids,” Taylor said.

“Do you want to put a walking track around the whole field?” Britt asked. “It can be an alternate (on the base bid).”

Zinn asked if the board would officially give Britt or the county administrator approval to research the cost analysis on a lift station at the Fairgrounds.

The board approved Zinn’s motion.

“We got ARPA submitted to DEQ (Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality),” Britt said. “We will know four to six weeks if we get the award. We are also submitting Blackwater (a request for funds to raise Blackwater Road to stop flooding in District 4).

“Where are we on State Aid?” Zinn asked.

“We can have a working session,” Britt said. “We do need to get something down on it - State Aid and the road paving project. I think (road) leveling is off the table. What are we going to do — one big paving project? We are not going to lose money, but we need to bid it so we can go to work on paving by Mario (road manager Mario Jeffries).”

Taylor asked what Britt intends to recommend about the county allowing a convenience store builder to put a detention pond on part of county property.

“I think we are setting a precedent,” Britt said.

“I don’t want the county to be responsible,” Taylor said. “My concern is the house across the road.”