Cement shortage causes VBT DDA to reject bid, delay new sidewalks

By Rosemary K. Otzman
Independent Editor
Although the Van Buren Township Downtown Development Authority had hoped to have sidewalks installed along the North I-94 Service Drive and Belleville Road north of Tyler by winter, that won’t happen.
At its regular meeting Oct. 28, the DDA voted to reject the single bid it got for the sidewalks, which was about twice as much as estimated, and to direct engineers Wade Trim to rebid the project in late January for proposed installation in the spring.
The new scope of the project, in addition to the sidewalk on the north side of the North I-94 Service Drive from Belleville Road west to Quirk, is along the east side of Belleville Road from Tyler, north to the north property line of 8701 Belleville Road.
There had been some problems with the Belleville Road sidewalks because of the Wayne County requirement for a drainage ditch, but that has been worked out and a French drain will do.
At the Oct. 28 meeting, engineer Dave Nummer reported that Wade Trim went out for bids and two companies came in for information. When they opened the bids on Oct. 23, only one bid came in, from Lacaria Concrete Contracting in the amount of $278,825, close to twice the expected amount of $150,280.
Nummer said that could be due to a couple of factors. First, it’s late in the season and contractors are very busy.
Also, there is a cement shortage. He said Michigan Department of Transportation hasn’t indicated that it’s industry-wide, but it seems to be for those working in Wayne County, which reduced the bidders.
Nummer said, for example, for the sidewalk project in Plymouth, there were no bidders at all.
Nummer suggested the DDA look at rebidding in late winter and putting the sidewalks in in early spring.
“I can’t see paying twice as much,” he said.
Craig Atchinson, who was chairing the meeting in the absence of chairman Gere Dolph, asked for information on “inspection days.”
Nummer said they have contractors bid the days of inspection. If there are less, they get kind of a bonus. If more, they pay for it.
“It’s a way to tie back the cost of inspection,” Nummer said.
Nummer said work on the parking lot behind township hall stopped when they ran out of concrete and they will get some concrete early the following week.
Atchinson said they are using concrete at their Ford dealership building upgrade and he knows what Nummer means.
In other business at the 25-minute meeting, the DDA:
• Unanimously approved spending $12,032 to purchase three LED trees (11’, 15’, and 7’) and ice skating figures, with the tallest 8.5’ tall, from Bronner’s, which includes shipping and handling. They had to take an additional $5,000 from the fund balance to cover the cost. Old Glory Flags said there will be no problem for them to erect these figures when they light the evergreens at the monument sign at Quirk and Belleville roads. The LED displays are warranted for five seasons and the lamps for one season;
• Unanimously approved attorney Patrick McCauley’s recommendation to broaden the language of a motion made at the Aug. 24 meeting concerning purchase of real property, adding a reference to “retaining professional consultants as part of the investigation process and authorize the Executive Director to execute documents to retain professional services.” The property being considered for purchase has not been disclosed, but DDA member Carol Bird, a realtor, was allowed to abstain from the vote;
• Heard Nummer report that he is still working on the hydraulics for the regional detention pond. He said he would like to have another meeting with the Wayne County Road Commission and then bring information back to the DDA; and
• Heard DDA Executive Director Susan Ireland say she has reviewed resumes and spoken with applicants for the open position of deputy director and has narrowed the field to two candidates. She asked for one additional meeting with the subcommittee and needed someone to fill in for Gere Dolph, who is hospitalized. Joe Baskin volunteered.