Contracts awarded for contract rock

     Four contracts for 72,000 tons of contract rock were approved by the Jones County Supervisors at their April 12 board meeting.

     County Engineer Derek Snead presented all four contracts for the board’s approval. Snead compiled a list of all bid prices for each road listed on the contract rock schedule this year.

     The contracts total $887,530.50:

     • $55,863.50 for Bard Concrete

     • $161,967 for River City Stone

     • $233,464 for Wendling Quarries

     • $436,236 for Weber Stone

     Last season, contract rock totaled $890,000.

     “We’re seeing a very similar ballpark,” noted Snead. “We had a few more tons last year.”

     The average price per ton this year comes to about $12.22, which is a 4.8 percent increase.

     “The majority of other counties are seeing between 7 and 9 percent increases,” Snead shared. “We are definitely on the lower end of increases. That’s a big savings to us. Our increase was unknown because of fuel costs.”

     Snead budgeted around $1.1 million for contract rock. He indicated that there was some carryover from last year’s contract rock budget, between $80,000 and $100,000.

     “All of our rock was placed last year, though,” he clarified of the carryover.

     There is no late start day for contract rock placement.