FORT DAVIS — During a regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, Jeff Davis County commissioners selected local Fort Davis contractor Six Rose’s Construction, LLC as the contractor for the build-out of the county’s new community center.
Six Rose’s bid of $2.7 million came in $200,000 less than competitor Aztec Construction of El Paso. During discussion, commissioners indicated that although the county’s architectural firm, Rhotenberry Wellen of Midland, had scored Aztec higher and recommended them, having a local contractor was important. Tuesday’s vote authorizes County Judge Curtis Evans to sign a contract with Six Rose’s upon satisfactory completion of an environmental review required to obtain the HUD grant the county is seeking for the project. Evans said the review is expected soon. County Grantsman Larry Francell, who spearheaded the efforts to transform the former Fort Davis Outfitters store on Cemetery Road into a community center and emergency shelter, said he was disappointed that commissioners chose to ignore the architect’s recommendation of Aztec as the best contractor. The entire project is to be funded by grants, and Evans and Francell have stated that no tax monies will be used for the project.
The contractor approval had appeared on agendas several times. Local residents Melanie and Matt Blackman had spoken before the court several times, warning commissioners that taking such an action before the environmental review put the county at risk of noncompliance with the HUD grant terms. The court had tabled the item at previous meetings when questions arose not only about grant compliance but also about the request for proposal and sealed bidding processes for the construction. Commissioner Royce Laskoskie continually raised concerns about potential improprieties in those activities as well as the fact that commissioners had not seen architectural drawings for the project. Commissioners opened the sealed bids at last week’s meeting and announced that Six Rose’s and Aztec were the only two bidders but did not announce the bid amounts until Tuesday’s meeting. Francell provided Laskoskie with the drawings at that time.
