By Naomi Hatch A $105,470 contract to relocate the water line associated with the Seventh Street South road construction project in Snowflake was awarded to Rock Country Builders last week. “The Seventh Street South road reconstruction project is currently on schedule for construction this calendar year,” Snowflake Public Works Superintendent Terry Cooper advised the town council Feb. 24. Cooper explained that the funding for the project comes primarily from the Surface Transportation Program (STP), which is authorized under the current federal transportation act, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, which is administered by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). During the design process for the project, it was found that the existing water line that runs parallel to Seventh Street South was not deep enough to satisfy required coverage depths for a pipe line of that size, and staff was informed that the existing 10” waterline would need to be lowered. Cooper said that staff members had been planning to extend the existing water line on Seventh Street South from the west side of Centennial Blvd. westward across the Jake Flake Crossing and tie into the existing water extension. Both actions required approval to construct from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, which has been granted. A bid package was released that included a base bid for the relocation portion of the project and an alternate bid for the line extension portion. Five bids were received, including Rock Country Builders’ base bid of $105,470 and alternate bid of $104,450; Rawlings Specialty Contract, base bid of $125,462.50 and alternate bid of $139,131.75; EW Parker Enterprises LLC, base bid of $131,371.60 and alternate bid of $124,879; Apache Underground, base bid of $134,101 and alternate bid of $145,747; and Western Grade, base bid of $138,348 and alternate bid of $153,270. Cooper noted that funds are available through refinancing and some capital funds that they have from refinancing a couple of years ago, but staff members were skeptical that the town would be able to move forward with the total bid. “We are more comfortable to award the base bid only, therefore staff recommends awarding the base bid only for the West Seventh Street South 12” water line project to Rock Country Builders in an amount not to exceed $105,470,” said Cooper. The recommendation was approved unanimously by the council.