WM Utility Dept. set to do some spring spending

WM Utility Dept. set to do some spring spending

City will put $ 250,000 into maintenance, equipment

news@theeveningtimes.com

The ever-working West Memphis Utility Department was on hand at the second City Council meeting in March last Thursday to hand carry results of four bid openings to the council chambers for dispensation.

A bid for the final area tree-trimming scheduled for this year was opened and city council referred it back to the West Memphis Utility Commission for further consideration.

Two bidders vied for the work. Utilities Commissioners will consider the recommendation of the department and award the bid to one company. ABC Professional Tree Service of Webster, Texas is competing for the work against Asplundh of Harrison. Usual considerations over complete match of bid specifications and price will be put before the commission, likely at the commission’s next regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, April 6.

The remaining trio of bids were for equipment acquisition for the utility crews and a purchase for the Electrical Department.

The second bid was for a bucket truck with a 45-foot reach. The third item requested by the utilities was for a brush chipper to help clear the way for overhead tree trimming and line work. The last item was for a pair of transformers for which six companies are competing.

Mayor Johnson gave a thumbnail synopsis of the bids in a work session before the city council meeting.

“This group of bids includes tree trimming, a brush chipper, transformers is the third one,” said Johnson. “If you have any questions John Rimmer is on here.”

Utilities General Manager John Rimmer and Electric Superintendent Foster Rash were on hand to field questions about the equipment and projects, but without question or comment city council unanimously moved to refer the four bids, with an estimated price tag of about $250,000, back to the Utility Commission for further

action.

By John Rech