Macomb firm's sewer bid criticized

Council accepts low bid over objections

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

By JOHN R. PULLIAM

The Register-Mail

GALESBURG - Despite objections raised by two groups about the firm, Hillyer Inc. of Macomb was awarded the bid to do this summer's downtown storm sewer project.

The council voted 8-0 Monday in favor of Hillyer's $3,015,824 bid. Two other bids were received when the project was rebid in April after all bids were substantially more than the amount of money available to do the work.

Steve Fox of LECET, an organization funded by management and labor, asked the council to consider awarding the bid to Laverdiere Construction Inc., which bid $3,324,699.

He said Hillyer's employees will be from Macomb and will not spend money in Galesburg.

"At one time, the big phrase was 'Get it in Galesburg,'" Fox said. "I haven't heard that a lot lately."

Alderman Bill Kendall, Ward 2, asked why the Laverdiere employees would be any different, because that company also is based in Macomb.

Fox said Laverdiere would be required to hire Galesburg workers because of union contracts.

"We can't in good conscience pull the bid back because of its union or non-union affiliation," Alderman Roland Paulsgrove, Ward 7, said.

"I was just offering up a way to keep the money here," Fox said.

Dane Simpson, a field supervisor for the Midwest Region Foundation for Fair Contracting Inc., called Hillyer "a non-responsible contractor." Simpson cited OSHA violations, lawsuits and violations of the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act for his opinion.

In answer to a question from Paulsgrove, City Manager Gary Goddard said the low bid submitted by Hillyer was the best.

"I think you're a little late with this," said Alderman Lomac Payton, Ward 4.

Mayor Gary Smith told Simpson, "It's very difficult to make any (other) decision without having any representatives of the firm you are blatantly accusing here to defend themselves."

The council took a number of other actions related to the sewer project, including voting 8-0 to use $250,000 in motor tax fuel money to make up the difference in that the bid was still more than the estimated amount.

The council also voted 8-0 to approve the joint agreement for the funding, with the Illinois Department of Transportation responsible for 20 percent of the $3 million project, $1 million coming from the Galesburg Sanitary District and the remainder from the city.

Work is scheduled to begin in June and is expected to be completed by November. The project includes the installation of storm sewers on Cherry Street from Cedar Fork Creek to Simmons Street, on Main Street from Cherry Street to Kellogg Street, and on Kellogg Street from Main Street to Simmons Street.

The work is expected to alleviate the flooding problems downtown that follow all substantial rainfalls.

As one more way to afford to do the project this year, the final overlay of the streets where the work will be done will be bid as a separate item in 2006.