The East Ridge City Council, which last Thursday voted to pay $125,000 more for the Camp Jordan Parkway widening project, reversed course at a special meeting Tuesday morning. The council voted to accept the low bid from Brown Bros. Inc. of 1,825,990.
It was noted that Talley Construction had not yet started the work and that a formal resolution had not been prepared ratifying its second-lowest bid.
Councilman Jacky Cagle said he had earlier made the motion to go with Talley because of problems with the Brown family over a site for a fire hall that had to be moved from Camp Jordan Parkway to make way for the Bass Pro Shop development.
However, attorney Gary Patrick told the council on Tuesday that the Browns involved in the failed fire hall deal are not connected with Brown Bros. Inc. He said Bernard Brown III is the father of Trip Brown, but has no involvement with Brown Bros. Inc.
Councilman Cagle said Trip Brown had appeared at a Dec. 11 council meeting regarding the fire hall property representing his father and uncle. "I assumed he was part of the property. I stand corrected if I said anything wrong. I apologize."
Council members said they thought they had a deal with the elder Brown for a new fire hall site, then "the deal changed and the price changed." The council wound up buying two houses closer to the parkway from another seller for the fire hall location.
Vice Mayor Marc Gravitt said he could see how there was confusion involving the Browns. He said people still associate his father with the family auction firm he operates.
City Attorney Hal North said the dealings with the Browns on the fire hall site "left a bad taste in the mouth."
Trip Brown said his firm will get to work immediately and have the road widened from the current two lanes by the time Bass Pro Shop opens next spring. The walls have begun rising on the major business at Exit 1.
Attorney North said he will write a letter to Talley Brothers telling the firm it did not get the almost $2 million job after all.
The county will supply $500,000 for the project and East Ridge earlier put up $500,000 from its State Street Aid fund. It will pull another $400,000 from State Street Aid and also cash in a CD for the balance.