ST. PAUL - County of St. Paul Coun. Dale Hedrick did not agree with his colleagues on council in a move that will see the County’s Public Works department tender a bid on roadwork within the Town of St. Paul this year, with Hedrick maintaining it will put the County on a “slippery slope” competing against private contractors.
Hedrick expressed his opposition to the County submitting a tender for doing gravel base course construction on 57th street, north from Main Street to Sec. Rd. 582 during the March 9 council meeting. The County will already be doing similar work on 582, west from Sec. Hwy. 881 to 57th street at the same time in preparation for paving that will then be undertaken as a joint project by the two municipalities for the entire stretch of road.
Public Works Director Dan Reid said in order to “execute it most efficiently it would make sense to start at (Sec. Hwy) 881 and work back into our yard,” which is located on 57th street. “If there is another contractor on that portion in our way, it’s going to hamper all of our efforts and it’s going to raise the cost of the whole project. The Town will end up paying more for a contractor to do this work and the County will end up spending more time on their portion of the work because there will be another contractor in the way.”
Reid said the intent is then for a private contractor to pave the entire stretch along 57th street up to 582 and east to 881.
“To split the base course doesn’t make any sense to us,” Reid explained to council. “We are the biggest users on that roadway, we have the heaviest vehicles driving that roadway so we have a vested interest in having it done one hundred per cent right.”
“I agree with you, Dan, where you’re coming from,” Hedrick said. “My whole take on it is just for public perception and what people will think about the County bidding on a chunk of roadway like that. I know it’s just a small job but that’s just my opinion.”
In response, Reeve Steve Upham said that while council shares “your philosophical point” and council tries not to get in the way of private business, “I would think this is one of the situations where it is almost unavoidable for the economic good of both communities.”
Reid said the possibility exists that the Town may not want the County to take on the preparation work on 57th street for the joint project and the County’s bid could be unsuccessful.
“Their council could say, ‘you know what, we don’t want the County to do that work.' That is going to make our overall project very difficult to finish within the budget that we’ve set up,” Reid said. “At the end of the day, if I’m a ratepayer in the Town or in the County and it’s going to save us tax dollars, I’m all for it.”
“I think this is the continuation of the same project for 582, I think it would be in our best interest to continue with one project,” Coun. Cliff Martin said, later making the motion to proceed with a tender for the work discussed.
The motion won the support of everyone except Hedrick who voted against it.
