Awarding contracts

Forty-one bids for sub contractor work on the new Purcell Municipal Hospital were accepted Tuesday evening during a joint meeting of Purcell’s City Council and Public Works Authority.

Members voted to award contracts totaling $9,779,219 on those bids.

The low bidder won 40 of the contracts, but on the advice of the general contractor, the city accepted the next highest bid for mechanical work.

The general contractor reported that bidder “tremendously qualified.”

The electrical will be rebid and action on the nurse call bid was tabled pending a demonstration for hospital officials.

The board also voted to allow city attorney Ted Haxel and city manager Dale Bunn to sign a contract with OEC Fiber to offer online services inside the city limits.

Haxel pointed out issues he had with a proposed contract submitted by OEC Fiber.

“The city will not get any funds from the internet,” Haxel said, adding the contract provides for 5 percent from video services which may or may not be offered in the future.

“The likelihood the city will get any money from the contract is very small,” he cautioned.

Still, the contract will allow Purcell residents access to a “really good internet system,” he added.

Haxel said he also wanted a clause in the contract stating OEC won’t have the right to extend electrical service into Purcell beyond existing customers.

“They wouldn’t sign it,” he said.

Haxel asked council members to tell Bunn and him it is OK to sign the contract given that the city “won’t get any money from the internet” connections.

The PWA also took city engineer Kenny Sullivan’s advice regarding extending water service to a proposed development on Johnson Road south of State Highway 39.

The developer will work with the city and install an 8-inch water line to the south edge of his property to serve the planned homes.