Commissioners pepper McKinley Architecture and Engineering’s Tim Mizer with questions about the small barn project at Friendship Park Thursday. -- Linda Harris

STEUBENVILLE — The Jefferson County commissioners are still trying to figure out what to do about the budget-busting small barn project at Friendship Park.

Bids opened at last week’s meeting came in well above the engineer’s estimate of $340,000, even with the extra 10 percent (in this case, $34,000) allowed under Ohio Revised Code before it would have to be rebid.

But if they can’t get it built before July 1, the fair board will lose a $45,000 state grant.

McKinley Architecture and Engineering’s Tim Mizer suggested the bid package might give them the flexibility to do a bare-bones construction and still comply with ORC, though he recommended asking the prosecutor for his opinion before they do anything.

The three companies that bid on the project were asked to submit an overall base bid, another for general trades only and a third for electrical work only.

The lowest base bid was a $465,600 base bid. Bids for general trades only ranged from $367,000 to $436,000, while bids for the electrical work ranged from $98,600 to $109,800.

“Since we have individual bid packages separating each construction trade in bid packages … we know the lowest bid was $367,000, below the maximum allowed bid of 374,000,” Mizer explained. “We believe the electrical work can be pulled from the project, reduced to only the code-required scope, and then we could either rebid (the electrical) or negotiate with the current electrical bid contractor. Our belief is we can reduce the bid cost … but I would request you consult with the prosecutor to determine if the proposed action is legal.”

Commissioner Tony Morelli pointed out the fair board had originally figured it to be a $130,000 project.

By the time they first authorized it to go to bid the estimate was in the $200,000 to $250,000 range, but Mizer told them contractors were skeptical it could be done for that “especially with the requirement of using prevailing wage for the labor cost,” so they upped the estimate to $340,000 and making an eight-foot wide concrete walkway around it an add alternate.

“I understand changes in prevailing wages, I understand increasing prices,” Morelli said. “But we’re talking four times (higher).”

Mizer said a pared down building plan wouldn’t include anything that isn’t required by code.

“Unfortunately, we’re seeing projects being overbid across the board,” he said. “The numbers are coming back unbelievably high on everything.”

Commissioner Dave Maple agreed, saying the bids “were definitely different than your bid estimate, significantly different.”

“For bids to be that much out of whack, you don’t often see that,” he said. “We’ve rejected bids before … but (those were) extremely different from your estimate.”

Morelli said he applauds the creativity, if it’s lawful.

“But I don’t know how comfortable I am to vote for it without electric.”

“The key here is the timing,” Mizer replied. “If we can get the building started, get construction under way, I can go back and reduce some of the electrical items … we could probably reduce the cost of the electricals down to the point where we can work with … the local contractor or invite (contractors) to rebid that.”

Maple was skeptical, pointing out, “The $340,000 estimate was with electric and somebody bid it without electric at $367,000 … I don’t see how that works.”

He was also quick to respond when Mizer said they “are not experts on estimating a project.”

“Wait a minute. We hired you to be expert on estimating the project. To say you’re not an expert at estimating a project and you’re the one we hired to put the bid out, I hope that’s a little bit of a mistake because that’s what we hired you to do.”

“Not to disagree or argue with you, but in our contract if you want a detailed estimate that’s always extra,” Mizer replied.

“I didn’t know that,” Maple rejoined. “You’re saying when we hire your firm to get an estimate we have a choice to get a general estimate or a detailed (one)? I didn’t now we had to pay more for detailed estimates.”

Mizer said they make their calculations based on trends they see. “I don’t know why this one was over, we just don’t know,” he said.

“Your not going to be right all the time and it’s a moving market,” Maple agreed. “But … were hiring you guys to put the best possible estimate together. So in my mind, you are the people we’re hiring to do that estimate.”

“We were wrong on the estimate,” Mizer agreed. “What I’m trying to do here is just come up with a way to get this building started.”

Commissioner Eric Timmons said the idea of pulling the electrical work “bothers me a little bit.”

“I feel like we’re trying to get around something,” he said. “If we want to do it, I want it to be done.”

At Maple’s suggestion, commissioners voted 3-0 to recommend McKinley rebid the project while seeking an opinion from the prosecutor on the legality of jettisoning most of the electrical work from the original bid package.

“We can’t award the (current) bids unless they’re rebid, unless the prosecutor gives us the OK,” he said. “I’m not hopeful. Worse case we waste a little bit of time and money getting the rebid started … but maybe the new estimate comes in a little closer to what the bids are going to be. And we haven’t even wrestled with where the extra money’s going to come from.”

Commissioners also gave the Regional Airport Authority permission to proceed with its pre-application to the Federal Aviation Administration for Fiscal Year 2023 airport improvement funds for perimeter fencing for taxiways.

Gary Folden, the authority’s secretary-treasurer, said an FAA-mandated study recommended the fencing to mitigate wildlife hazards. The design phase alone will cost an estimated $102,000, he said, though the airport authority would only be on the hook for about $5,125. The rest would be covered by the FAA (90 percent) and Ohio Department of Transportation (5 percent).

“We have deer on the runway continually, and they’re mandating we do this,” he said, adding the preapplication “is just the first step to get us on their schedule.”

He said the fencing itself is currently estimated at about $1.4 million.

Commissioners also:

— Referred a proposal for demolition of buildings at 501 and 505 Market St., Steubenville, to the prosecutor for review. The lots are adjacent to a county-owned parking lot, which commissioners plan to pave.

The current owner has offered to donate the buildings to the Jefferson County Land Bank.

The land bank, in turn, is willing to contribute $30,000 toward demolition if commissioners would cover the rest plus transfer fees. The land bank would also deed the property to commissioners, who’ve talked about turning it into a green space.

Land Bank Chairman Ray Agresta said demolition estimates range between $150,000 and $280,000. Asbestos removal would add an estimated $5,000 to the bill.

— Agreed to advertise for bids for paving a total of 4.07 miles of county Roads 50 (0.47 mile), 60 (0.99 mile), 75 (1.25 miles) and 75A (0.36 mile).

Engineer Jim Branagan said county Road 50 extends into Irondale and connects to county Road 55, so they’ll resurface just under a mile more — 0.942 — of the roadway because the county has a garage there.

“Generally we just do it because it connects to county Road 55 and we also have the garage in there our trucks use,” Branagan said. “It’s something we’ve always done, complete that road.”

— Acting on a recommendation from Branagan, awarded the 2023 mowing contract to Running G Farms Construction of Patriot, Ohio, for $45,240. The engineer’s estimate was $49,000, and only two bids were submitted.