Glitch could delay water, sewer project

By By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
Feb. 20, 2004
Meridian city councilmen could delay hiring a company to construct water and sewer lines for the new Interstate 20/59 industrial park because of a glitch in the process of requesting bids for the project.
The problem: Legal ads in which Meridian solicited bids for the project set an 11:30 a.m. Feb. 3 deadline, while an addendum written by the design firm in charge of the project said the deadline was 11 a.m.
Of the five companies that submitted bids, Hemphill Construction Co. was the lowest at $2.673 million, followed by Bowie River Construction Co. at $2.683 million. Hemphill's bid arrived at 11:10 a.m., while Bowie's arrived at 11 a.m.
Palmer said he believes the 11:30 a.m. deadline is valid and that he plans to vote today to award the job to Hemphill. The city council is set to meet at 10 a.m. today at City Hall to consider the water and sewer project.
Besides the possibility of hiring Hemphill, councilmen also have two other options: They could choose another company that submitted a bid for the project or scrap all bids and re-advertise the job.
Councilman Bobby Smith of Ward 5 said he plans to vote against hiring Hemphill, while Councilman Barbara Henson of Ward 3 said she is unsure how she will vote. Councilmen George Thomas of Ward 1 and Mary Perry of Ward 4 could not be reached for comment.
If councilmen re-advertise the project for bids, construction on water and sewer lines could be delayed for up to two more months a move some local leaders say could hurt the area's ability to recruit new industry.
Meridian officials announced in December that construction would begin in March. Besides water and sewer lines, the project also will include the installation of a 500,000-gallon water tank at the industrial park.
More than a year ago, federal officials announced they would give Meridian a $1.5 million Economic Development Administration grant to help finance the water and sewer infrastructure at the 600-acre park.
The EDA grant will be matched by $1.6 million from the city of Meridian.
Temporary service
Lauderdale County funds were used to acquire the industrial park site in 2000. Meanwhile, a $250,000 state grant was awarded last year to the town of Marion to provide temporary water service to the park.
Meridian Public Works Director Monty Jackson said another delay in the project by re-advertising for construction bids also could cause the city to loose its federal grant.
Meridian's original legal ads soliciting bids set an 11:30 a.m. deadline. Engineering Associates, the design firm, sent an addendum to the ad in January to potential bidders that also said the bid deadline was 11 a.m.
O.M. Lister, president of Bowie River Construction in Moselle, said he plans to sue the city if it awards the job to Hemphill, if his company loses the project or if the city doesn't re-advertise the project and solicit new bids.
Hemphill's side
But Lynn Guthrie, executive vice president of Hemphill Construction in Florence, said his company should get the job.
After receiving the Engineering Associates bid addendum, Guthrie said, Hemphill received a fax from the city clarifying that the deadline to submit bids on the project was still 11:30 a.m.
Lister, however, said Bowie River never received such a fax.
Guthrie said he didn't know if his company would seek legal action against Meridian if Hemphill is not awarded the job. Said Guthrie: "We'll have to wait and see."
Councilman Bobby Smith said he doesn't want to delay the water and sewer project. But, he said, he believes he has no choice because of the way Engineering Associates handled the bid process.
Representatives with Engineering Associates could not be reached for comment.
Engineering Associates has worked on several recent Meridian projects including heading the design of a key U.S. 45 interchange and a separate I-20/59 interchange to serve the industrial park.
In 2002, the selection of Engineering Associates for the I-20/59 exit came under scrutiny when some city staffers directed an employee on the selection committee to give the firm a higher score.