During Tuesday’s Poplarville Board of Aldermen meeting, Mayor Louise Smith approved a scope of work report concerning North Street and the Board decided to solicit bids for three other projects.

The Board approved Mayor Smith to order a scope of work report from The Walker and Associates in relation to the North Street project.

City Engineer Jason Lamb returned to the Board with some unpleasant news regarding quotes for North Main Street, Roy Street and South McGehee Street. After receiving quotes from JJ Lee Enterprises and Scott Holliday, the cost to conduct the work is now estimated to be over $75,000 for each project, more than the city estimated and budgeted.

“I will be the first to say, it is incredibly difficult as a project professional to estimate what the market conditions are because everything is so volatile,” said Lamb.

Lamb outlined each project’s pay items, adding that each of the three projects will require one lump sum of mobilization and traffic maintenance.

He said that North Main Street extends approximately 700 linear feet. The scope of work to repair that road will require the removal of 850 square yards of pavement. The a process of excavating 3,200 cubic yards of excess excavation and 2,900 cubic yards for borrow excavation. Borrow excavation is standard quality soil or gravel collected from excavated pits that is recommend for sewage trench use.

That project also requires the application of 850 square yards of filter fabric and 650 tons of crushed stone or concrete.

Roy Street is approximately 350 linear feet. Its scope of work requires the removal of 450 square yards of pavement, 2,100 cubic yards of excess excavation and 1,900 cubic yards of borrow excavation and the application of 450 square yards of filter fabric and 350 tons of crushed stone or concrete.

Lastly, South McGehee Street reaches approximately 50 linear feet. The scope of work for that road requires the removal of 55 square yards of pavement, 195 cubic yards of excess excavation and 175 cubic yards of borrow excavation. Then the work will require 55 square yards of filter fabric and 50 tons of crushed stone or concrete.

The Board was faced with two options, either open the street projects to public bid or break them into year-by-year phases.

The public bid process takes eight weeks to give anyone in America access, which could lead the Board to collaborating and building a relationship with new contractors.

“You don’t know who you’re getting,” said Lamb.

Year-by year phasing will split the Board’s purchase orders, allowing them to complete one project per year.

After discussion, the Board approved a motion to solicit each project individually for public bids.