A fix to Lauderdale Street’s two small sinkholes could be coming.

Problems with a storm drain underneath the street began in December, when a sinkhole formed in Bienville Park. A second depression formed one month later near the intersection of Lauderdale Street and Alabama Avenue. A third portion — directly across from the Dallas County Courthouse — collapsed in June.

Bienville Park was fixed in May, but the remaining two collapsed portions of street remain surrounded by traffic cones, blocking portions of the street.

The council received two bids to fix the street, but rejected bids during its Tuesday meeting because of high pricing. The lowest bid was from Mitchell’s Contracting in the amount of $69,800. John Woods Construction, who repaired the Bienville sinkhole, bid significantly higher at $1.7 million.

City engineering consultant Ray Hogg said during a recent Selma City Council work session that Woods’ bid was likely overpriced because of an error in bidding documents.

“It’s the same thing that happened on Bienville Park,” Hogg said. “We all know what [John Woods Construction] intended to do, but the law says he is not the low bidder.”

Hogg said the discrepancy came under Woods’ unit price, where he may have listed the total cost instead of individual unit pricing.

“My estimate was that it would be between $40,000 and $50,000,” he said. “Had Jerry filled it out property, I believe he would be the low bidder.”

Hogg said he believed Woods was trying to bid $44,000.

State bid law requires any project above $50,000 to go through a legal process that includes advertising the project publicly. One of Hogg’s suggestions, which was approved Tuesday, was to reject all bids and renegotiate with a licensed contractor, as long as the price was under $50,000.

Employees in the Dallas County Courthouse and at Speir Land Company said the sinkhole made daily commute to and from work difficult.

Angela Edwards, who works at Speir Land Company said traffic can be especially hectic during lunch time.

“Around noon, a lot of people leave the courthouse for lunch and you can’t go past until the other side is clear,” Edwards said of the sinkhole across from the courthouse.

Bernice Ackron, who works in the courthouse, uses Lauderdale Street for her daily, morning commute to work. Ackron said driving north on the street can be dangerous when facing oncoming traffic.

“It’s either going onto the sidewalk or the other lane,” she said. “Some people don’t let you by; they’ll just run over you. It’s just irritating, not a big deal.”

 

In other news from Tuesday’s meeting:

4 In another city project, the council Tuesday awarded a contract for the Riverfront Amphitheater to Cooper Brothers Construction in the amount of $965,458.

The amount was significantly over budget, but the council approved Cooper Brothers’ bid with plans to pay for the overage with $115,000 from its half-cent sales tax fund.

Cooper Brothers president Tom Bolton said he would have to receive a contract from the city’s architect — Harris and Smith — before proceeding. Once he receives the contract, Bolton said it would be about ten days before he could begin.

Bolton said completing the amphitheater before the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the city’s ideal deadline, is possible.

“I can’t control the weather, but, given a normal season of rainfall, I don’t think there will be any problems,” he said.

4 The council also voted to rezone a piece of property near the Dallas Avenue Winn-Dixie from R-75 to R-60.

The rezoning allows multi-family dwellings to be built on the property, city attorney Jimmy Nunn said.

Property owner James Roberts said he plans to place three townhouses on the property.

The property is in Ward 1, represented by Cecil Williamson. Williamson said he hadn’t heard any opposition to the rezoning.

No one showed up to the public hearing, which took place right before the city council’s meeting.