Seward County will go out for bids once again to complete the bidding process for the new Justice Center.
According to Sherry Schweitzer, the county clerk, some of the bids opened at the April 28 meeting had irregularities and some bid packages did not have any bidders at all.
Schweitzer said six packages will be re-bid: detention center equipment and electric security, steel detention cells, termite treatment, roof hatch, dry wall and signage and lettering.
Currently, there are three large projects in Seward: the construction of the new Union Bank and Trust building, the addition to Memorial Hospital and the new armory, according to Schweitzer. She added that there is also a large number of construction projects in Lincoln, so drywallers don’t have to leave the capital for work.
“There’s just a lot of business going on,” Schweitzer said.
However, at the Seward County Commissioners’ May 5 meeting, Commissioner Whitney Fleischman said the bids to start construction were fine, so the six remaining bids should not slow down the beginning stages.
“It’s not going to hold us up,” Schweitzer said.
The new bid packages will be opened on June 2 at 11 a.m.
Also during the commissioners meeting, the commissioners approved a request from the Farmer’s Market to use the courthouse lawn on Wednesdays from 5-8 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the summer.
Additionally, the commissioners approved the new job description for the open highway superintendent position and will advertise for the job.
The position is open because the former roads superintendent has retired.
Once a highway superintendent is hired, Fleischman said he or she will help choose an assistant highway superintendent to help with management and safety training.
The assistant position would be new to Seward County.
“If we want to see any change, we have to jump at it,” Fleischman said.
