By Conrad Dudderar
Associate Editor
EL RENO – A contractor has been hired replace the parking lot and sidewalks outside the Canadian County Assessor’s Office.
Canadian County Commissioners, at their Oct. 9th meeting, awarded a $213,197 “low” bid for a parking lot replacement project at N Choctaw and Highway 81.
Atlas Paving Co.’s price is $201,997 to install a new asphalt surface on the parking lot. Meanwhile, King Electric will be paid $11,200 to provide basic electricity to charge assessor vehicles.
Ellsworth Construction (DBA A-Tech Paving) submitted a $245,739 low bid to install concrete – which would last longer but cost more initially. Ellsworth offered the second-lowest asphalt price, $216,198.
“We did budget $200,000 for the project in our current-year budget,” Canadian County Commission Chairman Dave Anderson said. “We also budgeted money for other things that we’re not planning on doing.
“So, we can fund either option.”
Noting that concrete is a better product than asphalt, Anderson acknowledged it is more expensive.
With Canadian County officials in discussions to build a new county courthouse complex that would house most county government departments, commissioners decided on asphalt – the less costly alternative.
“We can probably fund (concrete) but we don’t know what the future of that specific parking lot is,” District 1 Commissioner Tom Manske said. “Why put a big ole, heavy concrete parking lot there when we’re not sure where we’re going to go with that in the near future – or even the long future?
“I say let’s shave some cost.”
District 3 Commissioner Tracey Rider added, “We just need to get them a parking lot.”
The Canadian County Assessor’s Office, 200 N Choctaw Road, is across from the Canadian County Administration Building.
OTHER BIDDERS
Other paving contractors submitting bids for the Canadian County Assessor’s Office parking lot replacement project were:
All Roads Paving, Allen Construction Services, Bishop Construction, Silver Star Construction, and Weldon Construction.
Commissioners opened all bids at their Oct. 2nd meeting, before tabling action one week to review the proposals.
“If we’re looking at a major investment in a facility a year or so down the road with our new courthouse, how much do we want to put into a parking lot right across the street?” Manske asked.
Canadian County Assessor Matt Wehmuller said his office’s parking lot was last repaved in 2012. He recommended a concrete parking lot with angled parking spaces.
“I don’t ask for a lot over there, but this is something we’ve been trying to get moving forward for several years now,” Wehmuller told commissioners. “This is an ideal time for us.
“My parking lot’s not in great shape.”
Both Anderson and Wehmuller said they thought the asphalt bid prices would be considerably lower than concrete.
COUNTY JAIL POPULATION
Canadian County Undersheriff Kevin Ward on Oct. 9 presented the weekly county jail report to Canadian County Commissioners.
The update showed 199 inmates in custody, with 171 prisoners housed at the El Reno detention center and 28 others in contracted counties.
The total count is up seven from last week as 48 prisoners await transfer to state Department of Corrections (DOC) custody.
