Marlow approves over $500k for street resurfacing project

Feb. 22—MARLOW — The city of Marlow has earmarked more than $500,000 for an asphalt street resurfacing project.

City councilors, during a meeting Tuesday, Feb. 20, discussed base and alternate bids for the resurfacing project for the fiscal year 2024-'25. City Administrator Jason McPherson said there were three bidders: Ellsworth Construction, Gorman Paving and Schiralli Construction Corp.

"We had a base bid and then five alternates," he said. "Originally, based on our review of the budget, we had a budget of $460,000."

McPherson said the engineer's estimate was $710,821.

"Gorman Paving bid was the low bidder in each one except for one bid, but this was a winner take all," he said. "If we were going to choose one, two, three bids, one company was going to get it."

Gorman Paving was the low bidder at $580,813.50. McPherson said the current state of sales tax makes the project affordable. He recommended the base bid and all alternate bids be awarded to Gorman Paving.

"Gorman Paving did our last project, the municipal road drilling project on South Railroad," he said. "That was the second project they've done in this town."

Streets slated for repair include: A base bid for Sixth Street from Caddo to Main for $187,694, and alternate bids for Second Street from Memorial to Ballpark for $213,518; Jack Street for $25,485; Legion Street for $55,088; Fourth Street from Gilkey to Jarboe for $41,900; and Seventh Street from Nabor to Payne for $57,128.50.

The city board discussed allowing the city to have jurisdiction from the Oklahoma State Fire Marshal. McPherson said they've learned through a few commercial projects that they just don't have enough people.

"It's not their fault; they do a great job," he said. "The State Fire Marshal is great to work with, our local guy is great to work with; it's just that he covers nearly the entire western half of the state."

He said they found Okie Safety Consulting, which will be a separate deal and offer a faster turnaround.

"We had the ability now to work with this company, it will be no charge to the city; they basically charge directly to the customer," he said.

The first step, McPherson said, will be to send the signed letter by Mayor Jeff Prater to get the authority and jurisdiction back to the City of Marlow and begin working with Okie Safety Consulting.

The board approved to request the authority to be switched to the City of Marlow.

The board approved a lot split request for 412 N. Ash, as well as a zoning request for property at 201-205 W. Memorial, which would go from an R-1 single-family dwelling residential to a C-2 general commercial district with use on review.

McPherson said the "use on review" means the property would go to general commercial district until ownership changes at the property.

"It would revert to its original R-1 status," he said.

The board also approved Ordinance 458, making the rezoning of the property official, as well as the the emergency clause for Ordinance 458 to put it into immediate action.

The City of Marlow and MMA will host its next meeting at 5:30 p.m. March 26, in the Council Chambers at 119 S. Second St.