Trustees set up road work payments

Neither one of the projects came in at the expected cost.
By MARY SMITH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
MINERAL RIDGE -- Weathersfield Township trustees worked out partial payments Tuesday to contractors for two phases of the Niles-Carver Road safety upgrade project.
Trustee chairman John Vogel said trustees "tried to reach a set of numbers" to pay for the work done -- and still provide enough leverage to provide that the work will be completed satisfactorily. The project included installing drainage pipe and paving.
The township has a state grant for Phase II of the project and is borrowing interest-free under a state revolving loan fund for Phase I.
Vogel said that the total cost of Phase I was $166,000, or $9,000 over the projected price. Parella-Pannunzio of North Meridian Road, Youngstown, bid at $78,000 for the piping, and pavers Shelly Company of Twinsburg at $88,395.
Vogel said the township can't take a larger loan on Phase I to cover the overage, but will have to pay for it out of pocket.
Costs
Phase II had been estimated to cost $235,000 but bids came in at $70,756 for Shelley and $22,435 for Parella for a total of $93,191. The state grant was supposed to be $180,000 with a local match of $55,000.
Township Administrator David Pugh said the project will fall under the estimate because the contractor will only do the piping where township employees don't want to dig. He said there are also some areas in Phase II that don't need piping, such as wooded areas.
Pugh said these decisions were made collectively by the board of trustees. He added just because the money is there doesn't mean they have to use it all up
Trustees wanted a report from Trustee William Miller before voting on what to pay the contractors. Miller conducted field trips to the road project and talked to each of the contractors and the engineer on the project.
Trustees wound up paying the contractors about 71 percent on 93 percent of their total bill. They held back the rest, Vogel explained, on work that is not yet done, or not done to the trustees' satisfaction.
For Phase I, Parella-Pannunzio were paid $69,926 and for Phase II, Parella was paid $13,801.
The Shelly Company was paid $63,926 for Phase I and $32,636 for Phase II.
"They're both committed that, as soon as the weather breaks, they'll get out there and get the work done," Vogel said.
Vogel said there are eight to 10 storm sewer related problems on the project, including flooding on driveways and catch basins that are not the right height, and another eight to 10 items on the paving, including problems with driveway entrances and breakdowns in some of the paving.
Engineer ms Consultant asked for full payment of another $22,000, which trustees have denied until both projects meet the satisfaction of the board. The total that is budgeted to go to ms is $54,000. They have already received roughly $30,000, Vogel said.