City to hold more interviews for phase II engineer

The city’s Finance Committee has decided to interview Hart Freeland Roberts, Inc., and James C. Hailey and Company for phase II of downtown renovation.

The decision to once again boot EG&G out of the running was made with one swift kick.

‘I don’t have a problem talking with Hart Freeland Roberts,’ said Alderman Bobby Kirby. ‘My opinion hasn’t changed. I’m totally comfortable with James C. Hailey. I’m not interested in EG&G.’

Not shocked by Kirby’s statement, Alderman Patti Nunley added, ‘I have a hard time imagining that James Hailey would come up with the finished product you see on Main Street today if he had started this project. Now that there is a guide to go by, perhaps that is a little different.’

Nunley then recommended the possibility of having Hailey’s company handle the water work part of the project, his company’s specialty, while allowing Hart Freeland Roberts to handle the engineering.

Before this discussion began, city administrator David Rutherford recommended that officials use an evaluation form used to rank each firm from lowest to highest based on the information requested from each. Once everyone fills out a form, the scores will be tabulated together and the top two highest scoring firms will be invited for an interview.

The score sheets posed 10 statements:

‘ Competence of firm, one to three.

‘ Capacity to perform the work, one to three.

‘ Description of how project is to be executed, one to six.

‘ Past experience with McMinnville with respect to cost control, work quality, completion schedule, negative three to positive three.

‘ Familiarity with detail of project, one to six.

‘ Subcontractor qualifications, one to three.

‘ Location of firm office for administration, one to three.

‘ Experience with grant-funded projects, one to three.

‘ On TDOT’s pre-qualified list, yes or no.

‘ Use of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, one to three.

Despite Rutherford’s recommendation, officials voted to invite a company representative from Hart Freeland Roberts and James Hailey to McMinnville for a question-and-answer session.

The interviews are set for Thursday, July 19. Hart Freeland Roberts, Inc., will be first up at 5:30 p.m. with James C. Hailey and Company following at 6:45 p.m. The interviews will be held at McMinnville City Hall.