Task force to discuss five bids to manage $110 million bond project

The city has received five bids for project managers to direct the allocation and use of funds from the recent $110 million bond for schools, parks, public safety and sidewalk projects.

A task force of city council, school board, parks and police representatives met at the Board of Education on Monday to open bids and discuss next steps. The bids were received from Robins & Morton, Capital Program Management, Hoar Program Management, B.L. Harbert International and Volkert, Inc.

Council President Bruce Limbaugh, who led the task force meeting, set a second meeting for Wednesday, Feb. 15 for the task force to discuss their criteria for selecting a bid and to set up the interview process. Limbaugh said that they will be looking not only at cost, but also at each bidding company's proposed process and creative thoughts on determining the best use of the bond.

"Any time you're spending this kind of money, you want to spend it as efficiently and effectively ... as we possibly can," Limbaugh said.

Limbaugh added that he would like to set the interviews with the bidding companies for the beginning of March, but he is not sure yet if those interviews will be open to the public. The task force will "give each and every one all the consideration that we possibly can" before a decision is made, he said.

The task force includes Limbaugh; Superintendent Bill Cleveland; council representatives Britt Thames, Walter Jones, Alex Wyatt and Peter Wright; Parks and Recreation Director Berkley Squires; school board members Judy Truitt and Jill Kimbrell; and Police Chief Tim Ross. Each received a copy of all five bid packets and will be reviewing them before the next meeting.

The next task force meeting will be Wednesday at 4 p.m. in the Board of Education building, 450 Dale Avenue.