MEEKER I Meeker’s Board of Trustees opened three bids for the Garfield Street water line replacement Tuesday in regular business. Bids received were from Johnson Construction Inc. out of Rifle, Colorado, for $758K; Duran and Pierce Contractors of Craig, Colorado, for $684K; and TDA Construction of Meeker for $448K. The bid will be awarded at the next meeting after review by the Public Works Department. Trustees also awarded the bid for the annual crack seal street project to Rocky Mountain Asphalt for $32K. It was the sole bid received for the project.
The board also approved a building permit fee waiver of $11,436 for Pioneers Medical Center’s latest expansion project on the orthopedic clinic. PMC CEO Liz Sellers presented the board with documentation regarding the growth at the hospital in the last two years, including an increase in staff from 174 to 254 employees, as well as added care services.
Sellers said housing issues are a concern at the hospital, and for the rest of the community.
“We want to keep our employees in the community,” she said. The hospital is maintaining 33 apartments, more than 20 of which house permanent employees.
The remainder of the meeting involved discussion between town trustees and ERBM staff and board members regarding the Request for Proposals for design and engineering on Phase II of the Circle Park project.
The RFP will be published in April, with bid openings expected in May.
The motion to approve the RFP with discussed amendments passed, with Trustee Travis Day opposing.
Town Manager Mandi Etheridge officially introduced new Town Planner Carly Thomson to the trustees, updated the board on the status of the Office of Just Transition grant process, renovations to the second floor of town hall for the Chamber of Commerce offices, and said the police department is still looking to fill an open patrol officer position.
By NIKI TURNER – editor@editorht1885.com
