KIMBALL, Tenn. - City leaders in Kimball planned a little too well for some much-needed paving projects this year.
At the Kimball Board of Mayor and Aldermen's October meeting, Mayor Rex Pesnell said the town put out requests for proposals on a lengthy list of paving work, but only got one bid, from Lofty Grading & Paving Co. in Dunlap, Tenn.
"On our roads, materials and repair, we had budgeted $75,000," he said.
Johnny Sisk
Mark Payne, of Marion County, Tenn.When Pesnell opened the bid to pave Memory Lane, Ellen Drive, Boyd Street, Henderson Road and Lofty Hill on Old Dixie Highway, the work totaled $70,600.
The bid included a separate line item in Kimball's budget this year for paving the parking lot at the town hall complex.
Lofty Grading & Paving bid $23,060 for that work, and Pesnell said the board had originally budgeted $30,000 for it.
The company met all of the licensing and insurance requirements for the bid specifications, City Attorney Billy Gouger said, and the bid complied with state law.
The board voted 4-0 to approve the $93,660 bid.
Alderman Mark Payne abstained from the vote due to his family ties to the contractor.
Alderman Johnny Sisk said it was good news to find out Kimball was under budget on both projects.
"They [Lofty Grading & Paving Co.] do a good job," he said. "It's all in our budget, too."
Vice Mayor Jerry Don Case agreed and said he would "rather go ahead and get it all done and get it all done right" because the board knows the paving work is desperately needed.
Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryanlewis34@gmail.com.