City looking at extra $80,000 to keep East End roads clear of snow

Timmins City Council is trying to wrap their heads around a new snow removal contract for the East End

Only one company bid on the contract (Miller Paving) at a cost of $267 per hour or an extra $80,000 per year.  The city’s contract covers from October 2015 to the end of April 2017.

The city’s engineer, Luc Duval is recommending the city pay the contractor but is admitting they may have received a raw deal.  Duval says this contract would be to maintain and remove snow from rural roads like Municipal Rd, and Ice Chest Lake Rd. The engineer is also admitting the work would be impossible to do in-house as they don’t have the man power or the equipment.

Legally the city cannot put the RFP for snow removal back on the market and are being discouraged from shopping around for a new bid in case they miss a contractor in the process.

Miller Paving already owns a winter roads maintenance contract with the city.  They’re contracted to clear snow from Algonquin Blvd, Highway 101, Airport Rd, and the Kamiskotia Highway.