Earle mulling road bids

Earle mulling road bids

Cost, specs still an issue

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Earle has received two bids to repair the streets in Apollo Acres, but is holding off on selecting a contractor until they have more information about the scope of the work included in the price.

“If we are going to do it, we need to do it right,” said Mayor Carolyn Jones.

The subdivision’s streets are riddled with potholes and officials say the area has been overlooked for too long and is in drastic need of attention.

“Apollo Acres is worse than any street anywhere in town,” Jones said.

The bidders are Crisp Contractors of West Memphis for $14,000, and Cache River Paving & Asphalt of Jonesboro for $5,700.

Councilman Donnie Cheers asked whether the bids were to just fix the potholes, or to fix the holes and overlay all of the streets.

“What are the specs on that?” Cheers asked of Crisp’s bid. “Crisp talks about overlay. Does he mean overlaying the whole Apollo Acres area?”

Councilman Bobby Luckett had similar questions.

“Are they going to cut out the holes, fix it, then overlay it?” Luckett asked.

“There are two different things with this last one.”

Cache River & Asphalt’s bid was more specific on fixing just the potholes.

Their specs call for cutting out and removing the pot- holes and filling them with hot mix asphalt and applying tack and overlay with a minimum of two inches of asphalt.

City Clerk Cynthia Conner told the council that she would call both contractors for clarification.

“I haven’t spoken to them about it,” Conner said. “But whatever questions you all have I will call them and ask.”

“Well we know $5,000 isn’t going to do it,” Councilwoman Jimmie Barham added.

Barham also asked Conner to ask for references.

“Did we have anyone who the county said they were pleased to use?” Barham asked.

“I don’t know,” Conner said.

Cheers said he knows that Crisp does a lot of work statewide.

“The do a lot of work all over,” Cheers said.

This is the second time the city has advertised for bids for street repair work at Apollo Acres.

The low bid last time was for $3,000 from Jennings Landscaping & Asphalt, but the company withdrew its bid because the city delayed making a decision.

The other bids were from Sugg Construction for $15,000 and $34,000 from Baker Brothers Asphalt.

Another contractor, Robert Milow of Hollingsworth Paving, Inc. spoke to the city council last month about doing the work, but did not submit a bid.

“He called but wasn’t able to get it in by the deadline,” Conner informed the council.

Conner said the city has the money for the job to accept either bid.

The council tabled the matter for another month until they get more information.

By Mark Randall