WOODCLIFF LAKE—Faced with much higher than expected bids for improvements to Centennial Causeway, Borough officials told their business administrator Nov. 8 to request a state grant deadline extension so they might re-bid the project and still qualify for the $175,000 grant.
It was not clear if state officials would grant an extension from the Nov. 21 deadline, although officials said they might still approve the low bidder and then negotiate to delete a nearly $300,000 Causeway fencing item from the bid.
Borough officials had been working with Suez Water to help with fence financing or replacement but had not reached any agreement on fencing prior to going out for bids on the planned Causeway improvements.
While officials expected bids in the $300,000 range — based on prior budget projections — the lowest qualified bid by AA Berms LLC, Belleville, was $716,444. A non-consent agenda resolution to award AA Berms the project was tabled pending a possible grant extension and project re-bid.
Borough Administrator Tom Padilla said he would request an extension of the state grant deadline, although he admitted “It was a bit of a long shot.”
Councilman Craig Marson pointed out council only approved a $300,000 budget line item for the Causeway work, and even the lowest bidder was nearly $430,000 over that budgeted amount.
He said the high bid was “making a mockery of what we were trying to do seven months ago” during budget reviews and development. Marson said even if the fencing cost was removed from the lowest bid, the bid was nearly $120,000 over what was budgeted.
“We are so far apart. This is very disconcerting,” Marson said, asking for Padilla to provide more budget details. Padilla said the fence replacement cost in the bid was for $298,000. Councilman Steven Falanga said needing to include fence replacement in the bid specs “is what blew this out of the water.”
Falanga suggested that council consider awarding the contract, due to its Nov. 21 grant deadline, and then reduce the contract by taking out the fencing replacement cost. Borough Engineer Evan Jacobs said the contractor appeared agreeable to the revision.
“There’s a $175,000 grant in the balance,” said Falanga.
Besides the low bid, the three other bids submitted were for $979,640 (Zaccaro Inc.); $1,357,883.97 (Your Way Construction, Inc.); and $1,380,908.00 (Covino & Sons Construction Co.).
A public notice published Oct. 22 notes the planned improvements include new concrete sidewalks, curbing, landscaping, and minor drainage upgrades.
Padilla said when sealed bids were opened publicly on Nov. 4, “we were all shocked” by the bid amounts.
Councilwoman Jacqueline Gadaleta said the fencing might be removed from the bid specs. “Do we need a new fence, absolutely, but at what cost?” she asked. She suggested that Suez should be responsible for replacing the fence.
However, other officials said Suez only had offered to replace the fence with a chain link fence, which council members did not consider to be aesthetically appropriate for such a highly visible, well-traveled crossing that traverses Woodcliff Lake Reservoir.