Jackson contractor wins bid for new Sikeston police headquarters

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The city government will proceed with the construction of a new building for the Sikeston Department of Public Safety.

City council members voted 6-1 during a special meeting Monday to recommend the Sikeston Economic Development Corporation accept a bid of $4,963,560 submitted by Penzel Construction Company of Jackson for construction of the new facility.

"The SEDC is the one that would enter into the contract with the contractor," said Chuck Leible, city counselor. The city will then enter into a long-term lease agreement with the SEDC for the building.

The SEDC is scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

While the base bid of $4,633,950 would have included finishing only part of the basement, council members approved alternate No. 1, which added a completely finished basement at a cost of $111,960, along with alternate No. 2, a three-bay vehicle maintenance garage costing $217,650.

Council members decided against alternate No. 3 for fencing around the facility.

"I think this is the one opportunity we're going to have to get this facility done," said mayor Jerry Pullen.

Casting the only vote against the recommendation was councilman Tom Hedrick

Hedrick said he voted against the measure due to the cost of the building and the current financial situation.

"The original plan was for a building of $3.5 million to $4 million," he said. "I'm very much in favor of a DPS building. We definitely need it."

The seven bids from general contractors opened on March 17 were described as being "very, very competitive" by Brett Patrick Dille of the Dille and Traxel of Poplar Bluff, Mo., the architectural firm for the project.

Penzel Construction, which was also the general contractor for the recently-built Sikeston Board of Municipal Utility building, was determined at that time to be the apparent low bidder.

Phil Penzel, president of Penzel Construction, advised during the city council's special meeting on March 22, however, that unless attorneys could find a way to resolve the matter, his company would be withdrawing their bid due a subcontractor's bid withdrawal and error which affected the bid amount.

Drury Company, the subcontractor for steel fabrication and erection, withdrew its bid after discovering a clerical error which resulted in their bid coming in at $100,000 less than it should have been.

In a letter to Penzel Construction from Jerry Cummins, president of Drury Company, dated May 3 Cummins advised his company is "officially rescinding the withdrawal of our bid."

"Drury Company realizes that this decision forces us to absorb the $100,000 clerical error," Cummins wrote. "However, we intend to honor our obligation in the best interests of all parties involved."

DPS director Drew Juden estimated the cost of furnishing the facility will between $160,000 and $180,000.

Pertinent address:

Sikeston, MO