MANSFIELD — The city’s Board of Control on Tuesday morning rejected both bids for the demolition of 13 local structures, choosing instead to rebid the projects.
Demolition of the13 structures, grouped into four bid packages, were bid on by C. Eshelman Concrete of Mansfield and Raze International Inc. from Shadyside in eastern Ohio.
Eshelman submitted lower bids for each of the four demolition packages. Its total price for the four contracts was $219,633, compared to $281,180 for Raze.
The city pays for the work through proceeds from the Parks, Recreation, Illumination, Demolitions and Emergency Services (PRIDE) tax, a four-year, quarter-percent income that city voters opted to renew again in 2021.
The PRIDE tax, first approved in 2013 and renewed twice, generates about $3.7 million annually. Half of that money goes to the safety forces (about $1.8 million) with 22 percent designated for parks and recreation, 20 percent for building demolition and 8 percent for street lights.
Marc Milliron, the city’s demolition coordinator, didn’t recommend the Control Board award the work to Eshelman.
“The problem we have with Eshelman is the same thing the (Richland County) Land Bank’s going through.
“The Land Bank did not award him any projects either. Although he was low, he has some open issues with the City of Shelby regarding their demolitions,” Milliron said.
The board — consisting of Mayor Tim Theaker, Finance Director Linn Steward and Public Works Director Dave Remy — asked Milliron about awarding the work to Raze.
“Our common practice with any new (contractor), it’s just to award one package. My recommendation would be to award Raze one package and send the other three back out to bid,” Milliron said.
Theaker said, “Look at their prices. They are quite a bit more.
“I’d like to give (Raze) an opportunity, but they are $10,000 (to) $20,000 (more) per package,” the mayor said.
Milliron said all four contracts could be re-bid, a recommendation the board unanimously approved.
The structures for which demos will be re-bid are 285 Reed St., 97 Orchard St., 111 Orchard St., 365 Newman St., 474 Bowman St., 29 Glessner Ave., 240 Cliffbrook Drive, 36 W. Blanche St., 176 Blymyer Ave., 347 Louis St., 334 Louis St., 596 Springmill St. and 558 Garfield Place.
The Control Board did award contracts totaling $39,300 to Petty Farms of Mansfield to return the sites to seed and straw once the demolitions are complete.
