Medina approves $4 million of infrastructure projects
Village accepts construction bids for water line, sewer plant upgrades
MEDINA — The Village Board on Monday evening approved three construction bids for about $4 million to upgrade infrastructure in the village.
Most of the work will be at the wastewater treatment. Medina awarded two bids for the sewer plant.
Villager Construction of Airport was approved as the low bidder for phase 2 of an upgrade project at the sewer plant for $2,845,000. The company was about $164,000 less than the next lowest bidder.
The other project is for electrical upgrades at the plant. Medina accepted the low bid of $438,000 from the Concord Electric Corporation in Rochester. There were four other bidders ranging from $459,310 to $647,835.
Medina is adding a new ultraviolent disinfection system to the plant as part of this project. It will have a new concrete chamber between the Gravity Thickener Building and Secondary Clarifiers to house the new UV disinfection system.
The project includes re-routing existing sludge piping, combined effluent piping, and storm water piping that is currently in the location of the proposed UV concrete chamber.
Villager Construction will need to remove existing grit concentrator, piping, fittings, and associated equipment located in the Grit Removal Room.
The company will install a new grit concentrator and associated appurtenances including piping,
fittings, valves, control panel, accessories and all appurtenances.
Villager will need to modify the microscreen filter area for the new filter system, provide modifications to existing water system piping to accommodate installation of new
filter system, provide and install new filter system, blowers, accessories, and appurtenances, as well as other upgrades.
Village Board urged to reject low bidder for East Avenue project
The board also accepted Milherst Construction Inc. of Clarence Center as the low bidder on the East Avenue forced main extension and pump station rehabilitation for $533,880. That was $34,835 less than the next lowest bidder, Villager Construction. There were six bidders on the project, with the highest at $880,875.
Wendel, an engineering firm hired by the village, discussed the project with Milherst and reviewed other municipal project done by the company and recommended Medina accept the bid.
Medina officials were urged to reject Milherst as an irresponsible bidder. Matt Kent, an analyst with New York Foundation for Fair Contracting, said Milherst has a prior felony conviction for defrauding New York State in an 8-year unemployment insurance scheme that defrauding the state $79,616. The company had workers collect unemployment while they worked off the books. Milherst pleaded guilty to grand larceny in 2016.
The company was forced to pay back the $79,616 and a penalty of $12,461 to the state Department of Labor.
Company leaders also haven’t always disclosed that conviction in questionnaires to municipalities when they submit bids on construction bids, Kent said.
Village officials said Milherst has settled with the state for the grand larceny and the company receives strong reviews for its construction work.
Owen Toale, Medina’s deputy mayor, said rejecting Milherst would mean Medina would have to spend about $35,000 more on the project.
“Wendel has recommended them. They do quality work,” Toale said. “My responsibility is to the 6,000 residents of the Village of Medina – $35,000 is a lot of money.”
