By Naomi Hatch “We’re coming down the home stretch for the Southern Solution (drainage project),” Snowflake Public Works Administrator Terry Cooper advised the town council last week as he asked and received approval for two items needed to complete it. The first relates to the channel that goes from Highway 277 at the highway crossing about 1,000 feet to the east of Industrial Way, the entrance into the industrial park. The goal “is to make sure that it is a gunite lined channel.” The three qualified bids submitted were opened Feb. 8. The low bid was submitted by Western Grade, LLC, of Show Low with an original bid of approximately $364,000. Cooper explained that after staff members checked into the bid they found a mathematical error in the town’s favor. The contract specifically states that if there is a mathematical error on the bid schedule that the unit rates prevail. This brought the bid to $352,886.02, which the firm honored. DW Lusk, a Snowflake company, submitted a bid of $463,706.80. The second relates to the town’s purchase of wire mesh at a point in the process where staff members felt they were under the gun and needed to get the mesh as soon as possible. The mayor authorized the purchase under an emergency clause. Staff was now asking the council to ratify the purchase. Cooper noted that quotes were received from four vendors, with Border Construction Specialties providing the low quote at a pre-tax price of $29,751.78. Town Manager Brian Richards advised the council that the deadline for channel lining is April 30, and the grant ends May 31. A motion to award a bid for the Southern Solution Flood Control Project not to exceed $352,886.02 and to approve the purchase of the wire mesh from Border Construction Specialties for $29,751.78 was approved unanimously.