DELAYS by the city’s sidewalk replacement contractor led to cancellation of the contract with Black Jack on Monday, Nov. 16, by the Owosso City Council, and the city’s move to the second-lowest bidder as winter weather was nearing.City Manager Don Crawford told the council that sidewalk sections had been removed by the contractor a month before. When the city was moving toward cancellation of the contract, Black Jack crews were busy forming-up areas and having new concrete poured. Crawford said two more loads of concrete were needed to finish work where sidewalk sections had been removed a month earlier. Crawford said there had been changes with Black Jack personnel and that the company was facing “a judgment” and any payments by Owosso were to go toward the judgment. He did not elaborate.
During the Nov. 2 council meeting, Owosso cancelled the street patch contract with Black Jack citing lack of progress.
Mayor Ben Frederick said during the council meeting Nov. 16 that Black Jack had been the city’s contractor in 2014 and did well.
This was the scene Thursday morning, Nov. 19, in the 1100 block of N. Washington where a section of sidewalk had been removed before Halloween and not yet replaced. (Independent Photo/BILL CONSTINE)
