Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/316941
for the project. John Pecilunas, chairman of the Bee Ridge Neighborhoods Committee, thanked the commissioners and county staff for their efforts to make the improvements a reality. "Usually, they say a pregnancy goes nine months," he said. "This one will be nine years .…" Commissioner Joe Barbetta cast the single "No" vote, which involved the awarding of a $1,999,142.25 contract to CDM Smith Inc. for construction engineering and inspection services. Barbetta argued that only one point in a staff ranking separated CDM Smith from HDR Construction Control Corp. Both firms are based in Sarasota County. CDM Smith will be responsible for daily field inspections of the project work, verification testing and surveying, as well as coordina- tion with private utility companies and with affected businesses and residents along Bee Ridge Road. "I'm a little concerned," Barbetta said. "This vote is so close." Further, one of the five county employees who participated in the ranking appeared to have changed his vote to give CDM Smith the edge, Barbetta added. "I have a real problem when you have $2 million worth of contracts and you're one point apart." However, Barbetta told his colleagues and staff, "I don't want to mess up the project …" Barbetta was among the commissioners in April 2012 who advocated the borrowing of funds to speed up the project. A few months ago, the county borrowed about $10 million to help pay for the work. Because of Barbetta's concerns regarding the CDM Smith ranking, Chairman Charles Hines called for separate votes on each staff rec- ommendation relative to the project. Along with the unanimous decision on the Westra contract, the board was undivided in award- ing a $199,813.32 contract to Cardno TBE for design services on the segment from Mauna Loa Boulevard to Iona Road and in approv- ing a $375,333 appropriation to the county's Capital Improvement Program for the same section of the project. An aerial map shows the segment of Bee Ridge Road where construction will take place. Image courtesy Sarasota County Sarasota News Leader May 23, 2014 Page 33