County commission accepts bridge bid, completes routine year-end business

At their last meeting of the year Thursday, Dec. 31, Saline County Commissioners accepted Thompson Construction Company's low bid of $132,537.75 for a new bridge on 335th Road at Buck Creek.

"I'm happy that it stayed here locally," Southern District Commissioner Richard "Dick" Hassler said.

Commissioners opened the bids Wednesday, Dec. 30. A total of seven were received, and the engineer's estimate was $148,864.50.

Other bids submitted came from Brookfield Box & Bridge, $142,187.75; Boone Construction Company in Columbia, $154,927.50; Irvinbilt Company in Chillicothe, $274,988.75; Lehman Construction in California, $159,757.60; Mentz Foundations Incorporated in Union, $154,983.27; and Streck Construction in Pilot Grove, $136,223.90.

"I look forward to working with you on another project," engineer Rich Rhodes told Joseph Thompson at the meeting.

The bridge project must begin before the middle of March, but Hassler said Thompson is ready to begin preliminary work soon.

At their regular meeting, Wednesday, Dec. 30, commissioners approved a payment schedule and budget amendments, both in an effort to tie up loose ends of 2009.

"We're moving a lot of money around ... to clean up the budget for the end of the year," Northern District Commissioner Norvelle "Brownie" Brown said.

But, "everybody's within their budget," Hassler noted.

In other business, commissioners approved a routine assessment maintenance plan, which outlines agreements between the state and the county assessor's office. The plan is approved every two years, commissioners said.

Commissioners will meet again Tuesday, Jan. 5, at 9 a.m. in the lower level of the courthouse.

Contact Sydney Stonner at marshallbusiness@socket.net