Controversy surrounds Ivy Bluff Road paving project
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The 6.1-mile stretch of road is slated to be improved from a tar and chip surface to asphalt pavement with two layers of hot mix.
Since the Ivy Bluff project is being funded in large part with state aid money, Road Superintendent Harold Glenn feels this puts it in a different category than usual county road projects.
“State bids and state work and county work are two different categories,” Glenn said during a Highway and Bridge Committee meeting Thursday night.
The problem stems from the fact the Warren County Purchasing Committee holds bids each year for the county’s asphalt work. The company with the lowest bid wins the yearly contract which runs from Nov. 1 to Oct. 31. The current contract holder is the Hillis Group.
As a result, when Assistant Road Superintendent Levie Glenn turned in the project to Director of Accounts Linda Hillis to be advertised for bids, Hillis, who is a member of the Purchasing Committee, consulted with other members of the committee before doing so. The committee decided submitting the project for bids could conflict with the rights of the current contract holder, resulting in possible litigation for the county.
This situation has resulted in a stand-off between the Highway Department and Purchasing Committee. Superintendent Glenn feels the state’s involvement and the scope of the project – which could amount to as much as 12,000 tons of asphalt – puts the project in another category which should be submitted for bids separate from usual county road maintenance.
“The state aid manager has advised me to consult the state lawyers,” Superintendent Glenn said, “It’s in their hands now. Whatever they say do, I’ll do.”
Director of Accounts Linda Hillis has indicated she has consulted the state as well.
“I have contacted the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s legal department,” Hillis said, “and we are awaiting a ruling from them as to whether we have to bid the asphalt on this state aid project.”
Hillis noted County Attorney Larry Stanley had advised her to take this step when he was consulted. Both sides have expressed regret that the ultimate losers are the residents who would benefit from the road improvement.
“I have promised everyone out there this would get done,” said County Commissioner Gary Prater. “And I want them to understand the reason for the delay.”
Hillis conveyed similar sentiments.
“The Purchasing Committee is anxious to get this matter cleared up to everybody’s satisfaction,” Hillis said. “We just want to make sure we’re doing it in the legal manner that it requires.”
Hillis also said even if the state requires the county to submit the project for bids, it shouldn’t result in a significant delay. She noted the bid notice would have to be publicly posted for three weeks, and after that period a low-bid contractor would be selected and work could begin.
Also discussed at the meeting was a request to close off a section of Locke Road. This rough and generally unused section of road is apparently being used for drug activity and nearby residents have asked it be shut down.
Assistant Road Superintendent Levie Glenn told the committee he advised the residents to present a petition to close the section of road and he would submit that to the committee for approval at a later meeting.