Better than expected

By Kyle Reid

Bay Bulls council may hav enough money to tackle third road

With two tenders coming in under budget for roadwork projects, Bay Bulls town council moved this week to investigate the feasibility of an additional upgrade to Lower Road.


The decision was made during the regular meeting of council on Monday evening which featured an unusually light agenda.

 
With only three councillors and Mayor Harold Mullowney present for the meeting, the agenda quickly shortened as council lost quorum on items where council members present would have declared a conflict of interest. Councillor Evelyn Tucker, Councillor Joan Luby and Councillor Phillip Burton were present for the meeting. 


“We have one individual sick, one out of the country and one at sea,” clarified Mullowney early in the meeting. 


The meeting did proceed, however. As the meeting progressed, council moved to award tenders for two roadwork projects on Farm Road and Alley Road. Mullowney noted the projects will consist of a complete re-build of both roads. 


Later in the meeting, Tucker noted that with both roadwork projects coming in under budget, she would like to see council investigate the possibility of adding another roadwork project to the list for this summer. 


“We just did really good on our quotes for our road work and saved some significant money,” said Tucker. “Based on that, I think that we have enough money that we can do another road.” 


Tucker’s suggestion prompted an inquiry from Burton, who was concerned about potential cost overruns that could come along with the two roadwork projects. 


“The quotes that came in for Farm and Alley Road — they were under budget — but would it be wise to wait and see how construction goes?” asked Burton, suggesting the projects could still run into unforeseen problems. 


“We will be waiting before these two roads are finished before we move forward to this,” said Tucker, before council unanimously decided to contract the initial engineering planning for the project on Lower Road. 


After the meeting, Mayor Mullowney noted the third roadwork project could begin as soon as this summer if the tenders come in within council’s budget. If not, Mullowney said, the project will likely be delayed until next spring with some initial headway made on the planning work. 


“If it comes to pass that we get cost overruns at least the engineering (work) will be done to get this thing (started next spring),” said Mullowney. 

 

Posted on June 25, 2018 .