Bids solicited for six roofs at city park

Bids will be sought on replacing six roofs in McLain Rogers Park at the request of the city’s Beautification Committee.
Committee Chairman Steve Weichel spoke at the last City Council meeting requesting that the roofs be bid. He said some have hail damage, some wind damage, and some just plain “wear and tear,” but that all need to be repaired.
And while it isn’t an ordinary roof, he said the dome over the stage at the amphitheater needs repairing as well.
The council eventually authorized the solicitation of bids but only after some discussion. On a 5-0 vote following a motion by Don Rodolph and a second by Bobby Stewart, individual bids will be sought for each structure plus all as a group.
Weichel’s committee was appointed by the council last October. Besides him, citizen members are Jimmy Evans, Connie Burden, Cheryle Harms and Marcia Wheeler. Mayor David Berrong and City Manager Mark Skiles are non-voting, ex officio members.
Stewart began the discussion by asking if the roofs recommended for repair include the picnic pavilion across the street from the Catholic Church cathedral. Weichel said they did.
Rodolph then wanted to know if they had been included in the city budget that went into effect July 1. Skiles said they were not a budget item and the work would have to be accomplished through the normal repair process.
“The staff recommends that bids be obtained and brought back to the council,” he said.
Rodolph said it looked to him as if the six roofs should each be bid separately.
Skiles said cost estimates had already been obtained and added, “We’re not shooting entirely in the dark.” He also said that hopefully by the time the bids are obtained, the city will have received a response from its insurer – the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group – as to whether the roofs will be covered by insurance.
“One or two show hail damage and one or two wind damage,” repeated Weichel.
“Is it a priority?” asked Councilman Jason Hulin.
Weichel said they look bad and if they leak, they could cause internal damage. “If we wait, we take a chance something might happen to the interiors,” he said.
Berrong said there’s a master plan to update the park. He asked what the roof repairs would come under.
“Park maintenance,” answered Skiles. “We don’t have a line item,” which he said means if the repairs are made something else already budgeted would have to be delayed. But using the miniature golf course as an example, he said every time the city makes one thing look better, other deficiencies stand out more.
Hulin wanted to know if other “little buildings” on the list were empty. Besides the picnic pavilion, Weichel said there’s a set of bathrooms used by the Department of Motor Vehicles at the driver’s license testing facility, the Girl Scout Hut, and one at the municipal swimming pool that has shingles blown off it.
“I think the intent is for them all to look the same,” said Skiles. “It’s something that needs to be done.”
Stewart wondered if there were safety issues with any of them and said the picnic pavilion roof is going to deteriorate if it’s not addressed. “It’s been in bad shape for some time,” he said.
The one at the swimming pool, on the other hand, could wait till later in the year, in his opinion.
Skiles said the city might get a better price if all of them were bid as a unit. Hulin then suggested that bids be sought both ways, both individually and as a group.
Weichel thought the city normally bids things that way anyhow, but he wasn’t sure anyone in Clinton would have the capability to do all of them.
Rodolph then made his motion to seek bids both ways, Stewart seconded, and they were joined in the 5-0 vote by Berrong, Hulin and Chuy Rosales.