Construction Bids.

The Public Service Committee met for their regular meeting Monday evening in the Park Department Administration building. No quorum was established to take action on items discussed because two committee members were absent. The agenda included discussing construction bids for the Over 60 Center. City Administrator Tom Short stated that he recommends the bid from Alumbaugh Construction in the amount of $318,000 for the overall completion of the project or their Alternate 1 bid of $274,933 which does not include completion of all rooms.

Short explained that Crossland Construction’s completion bid was $322,000 and the Alternate 1 bid was $271,000 with 150 day’s to complete the project. Alumbaugh’s Alternate 1 bid is higher than Crossland’s by $4000 but Alumbaugh’s time period is 125 days.

"I think the 25 day difference, said Short," "is good justification to go with Alumbaugh’s bid. The center is going to relocate during some of the construction which will be an added expense for them. Completing the project in 125 days will be the most beneficial for the Over 60 Center."

Short informed the committee that if the Over 60 Center’s grant application from the Steadley Foundation for $100,000 is approved, it would give them the funds needed to do the entire project.

"Alumbaugh has the lowest base bid of $318,000, said Short." "and if the grant is approved we were going to recommend Alumbaugh anyway. We meet with Steadley on Thursday and should know by Friday if the grant was approved."

Short stated that the City Council meets on April 13th and the agenda includes the first and second reading’s of the bids for the Over 60 Center.

"It’s declared an emergency, said Short. "The bids were good for 30 days because of rising steel costs. The bids came in on March 11th and Alumbaugh has okayed their bid for the extra 2 days."

Correction.

In the Tuesday edition of the Mornin Mail, the phone number for Coast Guard Auxiliary member Harry Weissenberger was printed incorrectly.

The number to call is 359-5737 or Mary Horvath at 417-858-2714.

I’ve gotten into a couple a conversations ‘bout the trials of bein’ a kid in the last week or two. Not the stuff ya hear about taday, the important trials like fallin’ off a bike or gettin’ hit with a baseball.

I suppose as a kid we didn’t think much of a broken arm or a sprained ankle as bein’ anything that devastatin’. That’s why takin’ some risks while at play was so common. I was shown scars ta prove it.

I suppose I was fortunate that durin’ these conversations there were plenty of stories bein’ told and I didn’t get the chance to relay any of my own.

I always thought of my childhood as bein’ filled with some adventure or another, but it seems it was pretty typical of the times. But even today skinned knees are pretty good teachers.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click & Clack
TALK CARS

By Tom and Ray Magliozzi

Dear Tom and Ray:

My 18-year-old daughter drove her 1995 Dodge Neon Sport to high school Monday, which happened to coincide with a record rainfall here. The parking lot at her school was a lake. She drove into it, and her car died. After the rain stopped and the water receded, we tried starting it, to no avail. We had it towed. There was oily stuff underneath, and the tow-truck driver said it looked like the block was cracked. Can driving a car into a very deep puddle cause the block to crack? The school prinicpal says he doubts it, but my mechanic son says the principal needs to go back to school on this one. He says driving a hot car into a cold lake will cause that engine to pop. Who is correct? Also, who do you think is responsible for such an event — the school or Dodge? — Les

TOM: Who’s responsible? I would say it’s some combination of your daughter and God. One created the puddle, and the other drove into it.

RAY: My guess is that the car hydrolocked. There are three elements required for combustion inside the cylinders: air, fuel and spark.

TOM: You’ll notice that water is not one of the elements, Les.

RAY: If you drive through a deep enough puddle, water can get sucked up through the air intake and get inside the cylinders. And unlike air, water cannot be compressed by the pistons. So when the pistons his the water, the connecting rods and crankshaft get mashed and bent. Sometimes, one of the rods will even pierce through the side of the engine block. And boy, is that exciting!