THOMASVILLE — City of Cairo officials expect to soon begin work on a long-standing stormwater issue.

The Cairo City Council recently approved, 4-1, a bid for work on Sixth Avenue Northwest drainage and access improvements, located in the northwest section of the city known as the “hot bed” area.

It was awarded to Jimmie Crowder Excavation and Land Clearing, a base bid of $341,194 and an additive alternate of $10,496.

“We had some unbalanced bids, which meant bidders underestimated the quantity,” City Manager Chris Addleton said Wednesday. “We have to pay for the actual quantity (of materials) used.

“Our engineer, DRMP, put in estimated quantities and balanced the bids. Then, the apparent low bid was not so that is why it was recommended we go with what appeared to be the third highest bidder.”

Project manager Bryant King said in a Dec. 21 letter to the city, “this project is not to be based on a lump sum price, but the contractor with the best bid including all quantities and unit prices....”

DRMP reviewed the five bids, ranging from $304,199 to $383,052.97, and determined “there were discrepancies noted within the quantities provided in the bid proposals and significant errors in quantity calculations,” according to the letter.

It determined the apparent low bidder had several estimated quantities “significantly lower” than design engineer estimates and those by other bidders, bringing its estimated base bid to $350,491.

Crowder was evaluated as the most responsive and responsible bidder.

“This contractor offers the best bid proposal, unit prices and least discrepancy in quantities and calculations from the plan quantity,” according to the letter.

The additive alternate is for a sewer pipe that may need to be replaced upon inspection, Addleton said.

The project will be funded with a Community Development Block Grant stimulus award from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. The $400,000 grant was awarded to the city in September 2009 and should cover all but engineering costs.

The area is in Mayor Pro Tem Lannis Thornton’s district.

He voted to accept the bid, but originally voted for a different option when the council decided on a corrective option to pursue in March 2009. This was an extension of Ninth Street Northwest to 11th Avenue Northwest.

Thornton said Wednesday he wished the road could have been done, but he is happy there will be some movement on the project.

“I’m glad we got this part passed,” Thornton said Wednesday. “I am proud of what we got. We’ve got to start somewhere.”

Councilman Ernest Cloud, who also voted for the extension road in 2009, cast the dissenting vote to approve the Crowder bid.

He said Wednesday the drainage improvements do need to be done, but he thought people in the “hot bed” area deserve a better way out than they are getting in the approved engineering plan.

“The plan is to raise the street and I can’t see it because it will really put more water on other people’s property,” Cloud said. “I think the engineers could have come up with a better plan than what was presented.”

The city has been looking at options to improve this area since August 2008, when heavy rains from Tropical Storm Fay flooded it, staff said.

“It has been a long-term problem that we’ll be very glad to correct as part of our stormwater master plan,” Addleton said. “When it does flood, the people in the neighborhood have not had a way to get out.

“We’re going to put in some storm water drainage, build up the road approximately three feet and do some utilities relocation. We think this is the best solution. It will help resolve some flooding issues and help with neighborhood access.”

Thornton hopes the project can begin within the next three to four weeks.

“It should be a big help to us,” he said. “By raising the road, the residents would be able to at least get out on one side if there is an emergency. I think this is a good start.”

Addleton hopes to have a notice to proceed some time next week.

“We should have a pre-construction meeting next week,” Addleton said. “We should be getting started fairly quickly, weather permitting.”