News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Overton County has received interest from at least six different contractors to construct its new county services building.
County Executive Ben Danner said he’s happy with the interest following Thursday’s pre-bid conference in Livingston.
“This is the first pre-bid conference I’ve ever been through. Of course, it’s been 120 years since we built a county building, so I don’t know how they did it in the 1800s,” Danner said. “I’m just excited we’ve had several contractors interested, so I just hope that… the price comes in what we’re hoping for and we can get started on the building.”
Danner and representatives from Upland Design Group met with regional contractors Wednesday to discuss details and answer questions relating to the project. Representatives from American, J. Cumby, Mid-State, SouthLand, and W&O construction companies were present during the meeting.
Danner expects the project to begin relatively soon once the County Commission finalizes a bid.
“If everything goes alright and the bids come in what we’re projecting at the April 8 commission meeting, it should get approved then,” Danner said. “If it does, they’ll be ready to get started as soon as possible and as soon as the weather clears. Right now, we’ve got no rain so sometime in April.”
Danner estimates the project to cost approximately $4.9 million with $2 million being covered by Millard V. Oakley and First National Bank.
The county’s budget committee will meet March 27 at 5 p.m. to open and consider sealed bids. The offers will then be presented and voted on during April’s Commission meeting.
The Millard V. Oakley Services Building will take approximately 16 months to complete once construction begins, according to early estimates from Upland Design Group.
