County delays vote on naming county engineer
The Fayette County commissioners tabled a decision on naming a county engineer after none of their disparate preferences could garner a second vote Wednesday. Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites wanted to name all three applying firms – Fayette Engineering, Widmer Engineering and McMillen Engineering – to the post, giving the commissioners the latitude to split work up among them as opportunities arise.
But Commissioner Sean M. Cavanagh said that since Fayette Engineering already has a “lucrative” three-year contract to cover the county’s Bridge Department, he wanted any additional work split only between Widmer and McMillen.
“I’m talking about fairness here,” said Cavanagh, who added that Fayette Engineering has reaped $1 million in fees from its last 10 county bridge deals. “Fayette’s got the cr?me-de-la-cr?me … the gem of the whole thing. They’re the ones making all the money.”
Since the other two firms don’t have a chance to do bridge work already sewn up by Fayette Engineering, Cavanagh said it makes sense to give any additional work to someone else.
But after neither commissioner’s motion got the needed second, Commissioner Ronald M. Nehls suggested tabling the matter. Nehls offered a third and even broader stand: hire an engineering firm on a case-by-case basis, which gives the commissioners latitude to hire any of the three that applied – plus others who might not have.
“Let’s just hire the people (when we need them),” said Nehls.
County solicitor Joseph E. Ferens Jr. said that a too-liberal system could “paralyze” county government because there would be no go-to engineering firm or firms available to answer routine questions.
As an example of how ridiculous it could get, Ferens said that if county manager Warren Hughes had a question about a weight limit on a road, he might end up asking the firm he called what it would charge to talk to him.