Local news briefs
Additional phone equipment For police department approved
The City Council has approved the cost of additional phone equipment to complete the upgraded phone system in the new police department. Cost of the equipment, including moving some equipment from the old facility to the new building, is $6,000.
The council had so far approved $34,000 for the project, which includes the $6,000. A report from the police department disclosed the total bill received from Verizon Telephone Company for the upgraded phone system and transfer of equipment is $41,871. The department is currently asking the telephone company for a breakdown of the charges.
The city purchased the building at 16200 Vineyard Blvd. for the new Morgan Hill Police Department two years ago. The facility opened in June of 2004.
Bid for Butterfield Well Pump Station project rejected
The lone bid to construct a building to protect a well pump station has been rejected by the city and the City Council has decided to re-open bids for the third time with a hope of receiving a lower price.
Trinet Construction Inc., was the sole bidder for the project at $748,000, which is significantly higher than a revised engineer’s estimate of $460,000.
The council in July authorized emergency drilling at Butterfield Boulevard and Central Avenue. Currently, there is a well there with a temporary pump station. The city opened bids a couple of weeks later for the construction of a building to protect the well pump station, but bids received for the project were substantially higher than the engineer’s initial estimate of $370,000. Bids were rejected and re-opened on Sept. 28, but only Trinet Construction submitted a bid for the project.
According to public works staff, other contractors indicated they are interested in the project, but they couldn’t submit a bid because they lacked time to complete the bid package. The council agreed on Wednesday to re-open bids for the third time, in order to receive better bid prices.
