Main Street bids still exceed expectations
Bids for the Main Street McMinnville downtown economic development project were reopened Thursday and were again higher than what was estimated, but closer to what officials had in mind.
Three base bids were opened by the city recorder, with the lowest of the three from Apex Construction Services in McMinnville for just under $4 million at $3.99 million. The other two bids were from APAC-Tennessee, Inc. at $4 million and from SET, Inc. of Ohio at $4.26 million.
The engineer’s estimate, which excluded prices for some work after the first round of bids came in more than $1 million too high in April, was about $3.4 million.
Mayor Royce Davenport, the only elected city official on hand for Thursday’s announcement, said he was disappointed the bids came in high. However, he, City Administrator Herb Llewellyn, Main Street McMinnville director Chris Wilson and Paul Roszak of the engineering firm EG&G, Inc. of Ohio, informally speculated about what possibilities exist.
Davenport said after the bid opening he hoped the project would not have to be re-bid. Asked if he believes the situation is workable, Davenport indicated that may be the case.
“With some adjustments and the city taking on some elements of the project, we may be able to do this,” he said, careful to note formal decisions have yet to be made. “That’s after the engineering firm makes their recommendations, the Main Street program gives us their input and suggestions and the city board decides the final process we will go through.”
It was not immediately clear Thursday when the appropriate committees would meet to discuss the bids.