04-01-2009, 06:45 PM
I can't add a lot to the report Menehune made, but there are few additional things I think are worth mentioning.
The bids tonight were for a total of four miles of roads. The cost per mile still seems high to me, but no one else seemed to think so. A decision on accepting a bid will be made at the April 15 meeting.
This was the second time the roads in question have been bidded. Apparently the specifications the first time around were not clear to the contractors and their bids had to be redone. It was very interesting to hear the contractors speak to the Board about how they could help define the specifications in terms of what they know how to do and what equipment and materials are available.
I found it somewhat shocking that the engineer that HPPOA has hired as a consultant did not know that an important piece of cost-cutting equipment is available on the Big Island. He also was not aware that a money-saving asphalt base mixing method was available as well. He kept saying his experience was in California some time ago, and that did not inspire confidence on my part. As a result of the new info on equipment and materials available and a proposal to fix the "roller coaster" spots on some of the roads, the decision on the specifications for repaving the trunk roads has been put off until the April 15 meeting.
An important fact that I did not know is that the overlay and other improvements on the four trunk roads will cost in the neighborhood of $4,000,000. That is over a third of the available bond money.
The Board was required by the by-laws to go into Executive Session to discuss personnel matters. As Menehune noted, no explanation was given. Of course, if any personnel changes are made, they will become apparent at some point.
Cheers,
Jerry
The bids tonight were for a total of four miles of roads. The cost per mile still seems high to me, but no one else seemed to think so. A decision on accepting a bid will be made at the April 15 meeting.
This was the second time the roads in question have been bidded. Apparently the specifications the first time around were not clear to the contractors and their bids had to be redone. It was very interesting to hear the contractors speak to the Board about how they could help define the specifications in terms of what they know how to do and what equipment and materials are available.
I found it somewhat shocking that the engineer that HPPOA has hired as a consultant did not know that an important piece of cost-cutting equipment is available on the Big Island. He also was not aware that a money-saving asphalt base mixing method was available as well. He kept saying his experience was in California some time ago, and that did not inspire confidence on my part. As a result of the new info on equipment and materials available and a proposal to fix the "roller coaster" spots on some of the roads, the decision on the specifications for repaving the trunk roads has been put off until the April 15 meeting.
An important fact that I did not know is that the overlay and other improvements on the four trunk roads will cost in the neighborhood of $4,000,000. That is over a third of the available bond money.
The Board was required by the by-laws to go into Executive Session to discuss personnel matters. As Menehune noted, no explanation was given. Of course, if any personnel changes are made, they will become apparent at some point.
Cheers,
Jerry