Kimball, Tenn., Mayor David Jackson is seen in this file photo.KIMBALL, Tenn. — City leaders are readying the bid packages for a $530,000 sewer line addition.
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen rejected the first set of bids as too high.
Last week, the board voted unanimously to bid out a scaled-down version of the project.
“We looked at trimming it down, which actually necessitated a scope change,” said Anthony Pelham, an engineer with James C. Hailey & Co. in Nashville.
Mayor David Jackson said Kimball needs to have a contract in place by early September. The deadline is constrained by rules for federal community development block grants, which the city is using to help pay for the project.
“We did pass a resolution to commit to do this,” Jackson said. “If we don’t do this, we’ll be looked on unfavorably on any other grants we try to acquire. I know there have been some questions about doing it, but I think it’s a project we need to proceed with. It could actually help us open up some property for the development of commercial businesses.”
The grant will cover $386,900 of the estimated cost, Jackson said, while the city will have to pay the remaining $143,100 cost.
Some questions about the project involve the possible widening of U.S. Highway 41 between Kimball and Jasper, Tenn.
Jackson said the city has been trying to plan the project around any future expansion of the road.
“We’ve made sure that the right-of-way question won’t be a problem,” Alderman Mark Payne said.
“You never know what the future is, but no reasonably intelligent widening [of the road] would affect this,” Pelham said. “We’ve certainly done the best available effort that we can.”
Bids for the project will be opened at 5 p.m. CDT Sept. 3. The board will vote on them Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. CDT.
Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryanlewis34@gmail.com.