CLINTON —Members of the county’s land use committee on Monday discussed the logic of having only one bid when it came to engineering matters. Specifically, having engineer firms scrutinize proposed solar energy projects.
“These two roll in and there might be others that are out there,” said land use committee chairman Buck Carter. “When I look at these …we should have more than one bid.”
Carter was referring to separate bids submitted by Cummins Engineering to help the county analyze the proposed Santa Anna Township Solar, LLC plan and the Triple Black Diamond Solar Power, LLC plan.
Carter told the committee he felt it was inappropriate to not seek additional bids for the work. He recommended contacting other engineering firms, such as Chastain & Associates, with which the county has also done business, to solicit additional bids for the work.
“I think we should have at least two prices before we recommend a bid,” Carter said.
County board administrative assistant Dee Dee Rentmeister said she was under the impression the county had designated Cummins to review all solar project applications.
Committee member and board chairman Joe Witte said he thought the same because of the time element involved.
“We’re waiting a month or we would have to call a special meeting to get somebody started on an application,” Witte said.
• Read the complete story in the Friday, May 16 print edition of the Clinton Journal or now in the Journal E-Edition for subscribers.
