Sparta Paving Bid Comes In Low, More Streets Could Be Fixed

Sparta has approved paving bids to address 25 percent of the city’s streets in the next fiscal year

The aldermen awarded McMinnville’s Tinsley Asphalt the contract for all street paving during Thursday’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting. Public Works Director Dillard Quick said with prices coming in lower than last year, the city could pave more than anticipated.

“We anticipated 6 1/8 miles, I’m going to say we probably should be able to get around eight miles this year,” Quick said. “If its my choice, we’ll try to do some works on the parks. We have a couple parks that need some attention too. So hopefully we can squeeze that in.”

Quick said that asphalt mix prices came in $28 per ton cheaper than last year. Quick said he cannot say exactly when work can start, but the best scenario would be for the contractor to begin in six to seven weeks.

“I was very surprised, I know some of the other cities has priced theirs, McMinnville and Manchester” Quick said. “There’s a little bit of a bidding war between some of the contractors. So it’s to our benefit this year.”

There will be a two phased approach to the paving plan in the coming fiscal year. Phase two has 10 streets listed, making up about 1.92 miles of Sparta roadway.

Quick said he would prefer if all of it could have been paved at once, instead of two phases.

“I would like to do everything at one time,” Quick said. “But we have a couple of water and sewer projects that we’re going to do. So we may have to get them to come back in the fall.”

City Administrator Brad Hennessee said phase two are the streets requiring the water and sewer work to be completed. He said those projects will go on while phase one of paving is complete, then the city will turn its attention to phase two when water and sewer are completed.

In other news from Sparta’s Thursday Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting. The Sparta Police Department has filled an officer position.

Chief Doug Goff selected Charlie Sims, and the board approved this nomination. Goff said that Sims has 25 years of law enforcement experience and will make an excellent addition to the department.