County OKs final plans to replace bridge

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. - The Stoddard County Commission signed paperwork to move forward on replacing a bridge on County Road 420 west of the Aid community in the western part of the county. Smith and Company in Poplar Bluff has prepared the specifications for the new bridge and the project will go to bid after gaining final approval from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and the federal Highway and Transportation Commission.

Dennis Cox, an engineer/owner of Smith and Company, said construction of the bridge would take approximately eight weeks after the contract is awarded. He said the bridge width would be increased from 20 feet to 25 feet and it would be lengthened by about 15 feet. He said the height of the bridge would be raised above the current bridge level which would better facilitate draining in the waterway. Cox also said the bridge would be constructed to allow use by over sized farm equipment.

Land owner Elvin Kingree and several Duck Creek Township members were in attendance. A question was asked about whether the railing would be made of steel or concrete. A Duck Creek representative said concrete was harder to maintain, especially if it is damaged. He said damage to concrete required "all kinds of testing" and it was more expensive to replace.

Cox said steel and concrete were comparable in cost, but he said the project called for steel because it was easier to maintain.

Cox would release no projected cost of the project, saying that MoDOT did not allow contractors to release such estimates. He said the county could compute an estimated cost if they chose.

The bridge is not usable currently and was approved for replacement by the commission in 2010. The bridge is located near the Duck Creek and Castor Townships line. The county has budgeted money and will also use "soft money" through the federal Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program (BR) to fund the project.

The county would also like to replace a bridge in the Lavelle Special Road District but did not have the money for both projects.

Cox told the commission it could take up to one to two months for federal and state approval before bids could be taken in the project. The commissioners signed the paperwork for Cox for the approval from the required agencies.

Commissioner Frank Sifford said the county had applied for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to help pay for replacing a bridge on County Road 410 in Castor Township. He said the federal money could be used for the 25 percent local match with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) paying the other 75 percent. The bridge washed out during the flood in the spring of 2011. He said the county should hear something in a few weeks about whether they would receive the block grant.

Sifford also said an optic cable is being run across the Bootheel, including through Stoddard County. He said the cable was being installed along the Highway 60 easement from Poplar Bluff to I-55 and then north to St. Genevieve. He said the proposal was to install the cable three feet deep, but the county objected as did the Little River Drainage District. The company has agreed to bury the cable six feet deep.

Dale Rogers, architect and principal in Robert Stearns and Associates, presented the commission with a booklet outlining specifications for a service maintenance contract for ventilation/HVACX systems in the Justice Building and Government Building. He said the booklet detailed specifications for the service contract and would allow the county to obtain estimates from qualified companies. He outlined several of the requirements including: A list of names for all technicians doing the service work, technicians must live within a 100 mile radius and a detailed list of all equipment checked and srvice operations that must be performed.

The county received an estimate from Langford Mechanical and Sheet Metal, Inc. of $10,617.50 for an annual contract. The old contract was for approximately $2,300 a year.

"Our concern is the cost differential," said Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis. "I don't know anything about other companies. We need a recommendation."

Rogers said that was why he prepared the booklet of specifications. He said there were other companies who were qualified, and the county needed the specifications so all companies were giving estimates on the same service.

"I just want to make sure you are covered," said Rogers.

Rogers suggested that the commission look over the specifications and he would come back to the meeting next week to discuss it.

Sifford asked about servicing the PTAC units in the Justice Center. He said the units were designed for 10 to 15 years of service, and they were approaching that age.

"Should we be looking at replacement?" Sifford asked.

Rogers said the only service required was to change filters and run them through their cycles at regular intervals.

In other action the commission appointed Ed Wilkerson of Puxico to the Industrial Development Authority Board of Directors and Leroy Stockton of Bernie to the County 911 Services Board.

Sifford said Wilkerson had been recommended by both the mayor and city clerk at Puxico. He said Wilkerson was a former alderman there, but moved outside city limits. He made the motion to appoint Wilkerson, and it was seconded by Commissioner Carol Jarrell. It passed by a 3-0 vote.

Mathis said he has talked with Stockton about serving on the 911 Board. He said Stockton was a farmer and a member of the Bernie Fire Department so he could serve as the fire department representative.