By Lee Weyhrich
CLAY — The Clay City Council is moving ahead with upgrades to Cosby Lake Park, and the latest phase will cost less than anticipated.
Millworks Construction out of Sarasota, Fla., has been awarded the bid for restroom facilities at Cosby Lake. Millworks’ bid was $76,444.20, almost $27,000 below the next lowest bidder. With such a large discrepancy, Mayor Charles Webster and City Manager Ronnie Dixon were initially concerned that a mistake had been made.
“The reason for me to go back and talk to the low bidder is that there was such a discrepancy in the price,” Dixon said. “In talking to him, I am convinced that he included everything that is drawn on the drawings. He did not have any exceptions, he did it exactly as it was done on the drawing, which was different from the other two.”
The other bidders had designed their own heating and air conditioning configurations which added to the price for added ductwork. The tamper-proof plumbing fixtures proposed by Millworks use a standard 3/4-inch water line as opposed to the 2-inch water line, which saved additional money. Dixon said additional savings come from the company’s ability to buy materials in bulk at a cheaper rate than local competitors.
Millworks will also provide a 100 percent performance bond. Funds for the project will come from the capital fund budget.