Oregon to review bid for road reconstruction project

        Oregon City Council on Monday will consider approving the bid of D.L. Smith Concrete, Norwalk, for furnishing labor, materials and equipment for the Munding Drive and Dearborn Avenue Reconstruction project.
        Oregon last year accepted funding up to $400,000 from the Federal Highway Administration for reconstructing Munding Drive and Dearborn Avenue between Navarre Avenue and South Wheeling Street. The project will include signage, pavement markings, ADA curbs, ramps and related work.
        “Both are service roads along I-280,” Public Service Director Paul Roman said at a committee of the whole meeting on Monday.
        Out of five bids received by the city, D.L. Smith was the lowest and best bid, said Roman.
        “D.L. Smith is ODOT qualified. We checked their references. I believe they will do a good job,” said Roman.
        In 2020, the city submitted an application for funding from the Ohio Public Works Commission and received a $300,000 grant for construction of the project.
        Mayor Mike Seferian said the estimated cost of the project is lower than expected due to the lower bid.
        “I was here for the bid opening,” said Seferian. “The grants were expected to pay for half of the costs. It turns out it will pay two-thirds of the cost because of a really good bid.”
        Also at the meeting, council:
        •Approved the appointment of a new clerk of council, Cassaundra Rawson, of Glendale Avenue, Toledo. The Civil Service Commission approved 15 applicant packages for the clerk of council position on Jan. 26, according to Council President Tim Zale. Four of the applicants were interviewed by Councilmen Terry Reeves and Dennis Walendzak, Law Director Melissa Purpura, Zale, and the current clerk of council, Tina Evans. “In addition to a writing exercise test that was administered to all of the candidates, the interview committee evaluated and discussed all candidates in order to make a selection,” said Zale. Rawson’s effective starting date was Tuesday, Feb. 7.  She is paid $31 per hour or $66,232 annually.
        •Will review an agreement with Superior Uniforms, Toledo, to provide fire uniforms and supplies, as required by the collective bargaining agreements entered into between the fire unions IAFF and OPTFA and the city. Superior Uniform is the only supplier of the required fire department uniforms in the Toledo area so the need for a bidding process was eliminated;
        •Will consider authorizing payment of $4,730.94 to the Walter H. Drane Company, Cincinnati, to revise the codified ordinances of the city. “This allows Walter Drane to do their annual updates to our code, to make sure that we’re complying with any State of Ohio changes pursuant to the Ohio Revised Code, or any changes that council would have made for the Oregon Municipal Code,” said Purpura.