Bid awarded for fencing at Bear Creek
Oneida’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted Thursday to award a bid of $102,370 to McCall Commercial Fencing of Kingsport for fencing around ball fields at the developing Bear Creek Recreation Park.
Mayor Jack E. Lay, who recommended the low bidder, said that 10 different firms had picked up bid forms, and of the six returned one was rejected for not meeting the specifications in the bidding process.
Other bids submitted ranged from $128,198 to $217,000, the mayor stated.
Meeting in regular monthly session at the Oneida Muncipal Building, the Mayor and Board of Aldermen also approved a fund-raising roadblock request submitted by the Oneida Band Association.
That roadblock will be held at the Oak Grove traffic light on U.S. 27 on Saturday, June 6 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
In other business, the board heard the monthly report of the Oneida Volunteer Fire Dept., with Chief Mike Stringer reporting that the firefighters responded to eight fire calls during the month of March and conducted four vehicle maintenance/training sessions.
Early in the meeting, two representatives of the Oneida Senior Citizens and Friends, Director Kathy Rose and volunteer Mearl Foresman, who appealed for financial help in closing out the current fiscal year.
Foresman said in order to meet its expenses between now and the end of the fiscal year (June 30), the Senior Citizens organization needed an additional $1,000 a month (for three months). The center operates on around $75,000 a year, some of which comes in the form of a donation by St. Mary’s of Scott County.
As the Senior Citizens’ budget situation now stands, Foresman said, it cannot meet its expenses for the remainder of the year.
Rose informed the board about the activities at the center, which include offering home-cooked midday meals three days a week, letting local civic organizations utilize the building for their regular meetings, renting the facilities out for reunions and other social events, and organizing trips for seniors, to name but a few.
“People who visit the center say it is a godsend,” Rose said, adding that for many elderly residents it is “the only thing they have” in the way of socializing. “Let’s not forget our seniors,” she said.
Mayor Lay responded that the board would consider the request, but the town is also experiencing a budget shortfall this year. He also pointed out that the town provides the building for the seniors and other expenses, as well.
Saying that he was unable “to give you an answer tonight,” Mayor Lay said the town would “probably” be able help them to some extent.