Supervisors reject bids for concession stand

After considerable discussion, the Antrim Township Board of Supervisors failed to pass two motions to build a concession stand and comfort facility at Antrim Township Community Park. Samuel Miller was emphatic at the June 22 meeting that $139,353 was too much to spend for a one-story building.

The board reviewed bids from six companies out of the 12 who picked up packets. Of the six, only one submitted bids for all three portions of the project. D&D Construction, Greencastle, gave numbers for the general base bid, plumbing and electrical.

Fred Young III and Rick Baer supported hiring Palmer Construction of McConnellsburg for the general work. It was the low of four bids at $110,897.  They also wanted D&D, the low of three plumbing bids at $16,456, and the low of three electrical bids at $12,000. Miller and James Byers were opposed.

Miller questioned whether one other company in particular had combined all portions of the project into its general base bid. It was $20,000 higher than the competitors. Young reminded him that half the project would be paid for by a DCNR grant. The stalemate could not be broken and the package will be rebid. Miller said he had hoped to get the building for $70,000, but "we should be under $100,000 easy."

Money matters

Other expenditures were addessed, with the purchase of a $48,687 mower also stirring some controversy. Byers said he preferred to subcontract township mowing, but Baer reported the advice he received from other municipalities was that it was more effective to do the work inhouse. Miller was concerned whether employees knew how to operate the equipment. Young and Baer added that the cost would be amortized over the township's 10-year replacement policy. The four voted yes to the purchase. Curtis Myers was absent.

The used John Deere tractor and 60-inch flail mower came from Deere Country in Lancaster. The legal advertisement for sealed bids stated they would be opened June 28, but the bid packet said June 22. Administrator Brad Graham said later he “goofed.” He attributed it to miscommunication in the office. The township alerted the vendor that its sale could be cancelled, but no other bids came in the rest of the week.

On June 22 the board also approved a quote from ProTech, owned by Greg Moats of Greencastle, for a new phone system, priced at $7,893. Originally the board wanted to upgrade the system at the sewer plant as well, but took that part out. The municipal building will be recabled, and the VOIP telephone system will add voice mail, caller ID and call forwarding capabilities.

Sylvia House, zoning officer, had researched options and companies. "We weren't looking for all the whistles and bells," she said, and would just be happy to be able to hear callers. The upgrade should be installed within the next three weeks, she added.

Graham was authorized to hire parttime help as needed, without prior approval. He asked for permission, especially for the mowing crew. He stated that part-time people came and went, and he could get in extra people to cover for vacations as well. He expected to hire just one more person.

Other business

Graham recommended not granting a request by Greencastle Area Franklin County Water Authority to extend a 10-year agreement expiring soon. The document would allow Greencastle to expand services in Antrim as it wished, he said. Graham preferred to wait until GAFCWA's purchase of Antrim's water system came closer to fruition. Young said if a developer needed the water, Antrim would say yes anyway.

The board approved a request by Bob Crider for a traffic study near 2986 Hill Road. He wanted the speed limit dropped from 45 to 35 miles per hour so he could move a driveway. Baer said PennDOT agreed to do a study for 30 days, and there was no expense to the township. All acknowledged the state could refuse to change the limit.

Miller asked for a worksession to plan Antrim's future. The supervisors will tack one onto the July 27 meeting, to begin at 7 p.m.

The board passed a resolution 3-1, with Byers opposing, to dispose of municipal records in accordance with the law. Some papers had to be kept for seven or 10 years, while minutes, agendas and ordinances were required to be saved forever. Byers said he wanted to hold on to the material.

"We're being overloaded with crap here," Baer responded. "Paper just keeps piling up."

Committee chairman John Alleman invited the supervisors to participate in the Old Home Week parade.