By Laura Walker
lwalker@dailystandard.com CHICKASAW -- Village council approved roof repairs for the village hall, but did not choose the mayor's construction company for the work.
Mayor Virgil Puthoff was upset during a Tuesday night council meeting, blaming the newspaper for his company being underbid. During a February council meeting, Puthoff said he could do the work for $5,911 and the newspaper printed that public information.
Since that meeting, Meyer and Stachler Construction of Chickasaw submitted a bid nearly $750 lower at $5,162.
The mayor complained he only gave an estimate and not an official bid.
"The only fair way to do it is to rebid it," councilor Jon Arling said. "You might as well give him the job and make a wash of it," Puthoff responded. "I'm not going to submit a bid."
After more discussion, the mayor finally said he would submit a bid and scribbled on a sheet of paper $5,711.
"I'm going to make that my permanent bid," the mayor said, after he went on and on about how work is awarded to both garages in town.
"We give certain things to both garages in town ... Anything below $10,000, we don't have to ask for bids," Puthoff said. "I'm a business here in town, just like the other two garages are."
Council took an initial vote with four against and one in favor of giving the work to Meyer and Stachler. Then council decided to redo the vote and use the official bid that Puthoff scribbled on a piece of paper.
The second vote resulted in an unanimous vote for the low bid, which is Meyer and Stachler.
"It doesn't hurt me one way or another. I've got plenty of work, but you don't know when he will get it done. We do have a leak in our roof," Puthoff said.
He also noted the addition to the village hall where the meeting was being held was done by him.
"I'll be danged if I'm going to go up and waste labor to (temporarily) patch a job I'm not going to get," Puthoff said.
Council also discussed how everything said at a council meeting is public information.
Also during the meeting, village employee Kevin Droesch brought prices for the installation of two insulated overhead doors for the village hall. Submitted prices were $2,720 by Moeller Door Sales, St. Henry, and $2,624 by Denny's Door Company, Celina.
"The Hause door (sold by Moeller) is superior to the Wayne Dalton or Overhead door (both sold by Denny's)," councilor Arling said.
Council voted for the lower bid submitted by Denny's Door Company, with Arling opposing.
Droesch, upon request of the village board of public affairs, also gave estimates for a steel walk-in door at the village hall, that leads to the chlorine tank for the water plant. Estimates were: $190, Denny's Door Sales; $205, Schockman's Lumber; $219, Moeller Door Sales; and $226, Coldwater Lumber.
Council voted to accept the low bid from Denny's Door Sales, with Arling again opposing.
Arling, who works for the Clopay door company, requested the warranty and fine print be checked on the Overhead Doors (purchased through Denny's), because he said that business filed bankruptcy and was bought by a Japanese company. |
