Clay votes to accept bid for new fire station

by Matt Hughes

Future site of the Clay Fire Department

J-E News Editor

On Monday, December 30, 2013, the Clay City Council approved a bid to begin construction on a new Clay Fire Station.

The winning bid, approved by a unanimous vote by the council, was submitted Kentucky Contracting LLC of Dixon, in the amount of $249,000. Kentucky Contracting will handle the complete construction project.

The $249,000 bill came in just short of the magic number of $250,000, which would have required the city to pay “prevailing wages.” In government contracting, a prevailing wage is defined as the hourly wage, usual benefits and overtime, paid to the majority of workers, laborers, and mechanics within a particular area. 

At a Fiscal Court meeting last month Mark Moser of E&M told the court that prevailing wage would cost about “a third more” than a project that did not go over $250,000.

“Construction should be completed within 180 days,” said Fire Chief Jeremy Moore.

According to Moore, the city has been working on this project for three years. During that period they secured grant money from the state that will cover the entire cost of construction.

The new fire station will be constructed on almost the exact location that Townsend’s Grocery once occupied in Clay.

Council members also voted to give mayor Rick Householder the authority to sign all documents and contracts associated with the project.