Kannapolis City Council ups budget for delayed sidewalk project

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, July 24, 2018

KANNAPOLIS — When the Kannapolis city manager presented the proposed budget for fiscal year 2019 in May, he highlighted capital improvement expenses for a sidewalk along Oakwood Avenue.

The project has been on the books since May 2016 and, according to a presentation by Director of Public Works Wilmer Melton III, it may not be completed until fiscal year 2020 — at the end of 2019.

In 2016, the city entered into its first supplemental agreement with the North Carolina Department of Transportation for the project.

DOT agreed to administer the disbursement of money for the project on behalf of the Federal Highway Administration.

Originally, federal participation would have been $880,000. Kannapolis was required to contribute $220,000 in matching funds.

But when the project was finally put out to bid in May, Melton said the city received only one bid.

State law would not allow the city to open bids with fewer than three submissions during its first bidding process. Bids were again requested in June.

Only two bids were received the second time around. Melton said one was incomplete and couldn’t be used.

The second was for $1.8 million, 85.39 percent higher than the original anticipated cost of the project.

City Council members on Monday approved a second supplemental agreement between the city and DOT with an updated cost of $2,536,000.

Of this, just over $2 million will come from federal funds. The city’s match has increased to an estimated $507,200.

The city will borrow money for its share in the project, with debt service payments coming through current Powell Bill funds.

In other business at Monday’s meeting:

• The council awarded a construction engineering inspection services contract to Alley, Williams, Carmen and King Inc. for the sidewalk project.

The contract was in the amount of $143,031.06.

• The council approved the voluntary annexation of property at 3821 Shiloh Church Road.

• The council authorized the city manager to execute leases for two spaces at the new College Station shopping center.

Located at 443 and 479 N. Cannon Blvd., the two spaces will house an events and meeting space and a retail clothing store.

• The council appointed Ryan French to the Board of Adjustment.

He will fill a vacancy left by Jeff Parker.