Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rosston Council Nixes Bids For New Fire Station

In mid-September the Rosston City Council hired Morton Building Co. of Magnolia to build the city's new fire station.

However, when Don Morton, owner of Morton Building, was asked to show his license and an engineers stamp before beginning the project, it was learned he wasn't licensed for a project of this size.

This required the council to meet in special session Thursday, Sept. 28, to address the problem and get it corrected.

The council voted to reject all bids received and let the project for bid again, this time requiring all contractors bidding to have proof of licensing for this size job.

Rosston Mayor Lewis Jackson told the council he's requested a copy of Morton's license and an engineer's stamp along with proof of worker's compensation insurance, all standard practices.

Morton replied saying he didn't have a license to build a structure the size agreed upon, though he'd told the council earlier in the month he was qualified to do the job.

Jackson called the Arkansas Municipal League's lawyers and was told the city didn't need to "open that can of worms," as it could be sued by the other bidder, MAC Construction of Hope.

MAC Construction was faxed a request asking for verification of licensing for a project such as this, with it being returned to Jackson.

Jackson called Morton again and was told to rebid the project or do something.

City Attorney Glenn Vasser said the council could reject both bids, let them again and then accept or reject them as the council desires.

Nevada County Office of Emergency Services Director Jim Cross, who is also the assistant fire chief for the Rosston Volunteer Fire Department, said the city would have to get more dirt if it changes the specifications of the building, so the slab would be the proper size.

Morton's bid had been for a 36 by 66 foot building, with one portion being 14-feet tall and the other 10-feet tall.

The bid from MAC Construction was for a 40 by 60 foot building.

Councilman Edna Kelly suggested accepting the bid from MAC Construction, though no action was taken on the matter.

Cross said the extra two-feet would hurt the VFD if it tried to put three trucks in the building at the same time with a 40 by 60 foot building.

Jackson reminded the panel it could reject all bids and start over, with the specs being modified accordingly.

None of this would be necessary, he said, if the volunteers had built the structure. They could have done it for less than $20,000.

Cross said the city could buy a 40 by 60 building for $9,000 delivered. "This is what you would have gotten when we volunteered, less the labor. When a bid is for more than $20,000, it has to have an engineers seal on it."

Jackson showed the council a brochure from Monarch Metal Building of Pine Bluff, with a 36 by 66 by 14 foot building costing $12.965.11.

Cross pointed out it would still cost the city as much as the bids because someone would have to be hired to put the building up. "You need a contractor like before," he said, "and the fire building needs to be 42-feet wide."

The council then decided to reject all bids and let the project for bids a second time.