JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
The Whitwell fire hall parking lot is set to be paved following the Board of Mayor & Commissioners approval of a bid sent by Lofty Asphalt.
During this month’s city meeting, City Manager Lonnie Cleek explained how one of the goals following ongoing discussion surrounding road paving within the community is to pave the fire department’s parking lot. The lot is currently covered solely with gravel. The city council aiming to have the lot paved entirely with asphalt to allow safer and smoother accessibility to the fire hall.
Cleek stated that contact was originally made with the Marion County Highway Department to see if paving could be done directly from them . However, the department’s equipment was considered too large to conduct work without causing damage to the lot. Cleek and the board decided to submit the project to individual companies. Three paving companies submitted their bids for the project. They were Lofty Asphalt, Cowboy Paving from Dunlap, and Kissner Paving from Rossville, Georgia. Lofty’s bid was $20,000, and all funds from the city used to pay Lofty Asphalt are to be taken directly from COVID-19 relief funds saved over time.
City Recorder Carol Condra explained that the board initially aimed to acquire more bids from additional paving companies. But because the city is required to use the funds set aside by this year, in addition to incoming colder weather that could effect asphalt production, all city officials felt now is the time to finally take action.
“There’s a chance that we could only get asphalt in the next two or three weeks. It’s going to depend on how the weather does,” said Condra.
The board unanimously approved Lofty Asphalt’s bid and work is now underway to pave the fire hall’s parking lot.