EDITOR”S NOTE: The original story published last Thursday night reported an incorrect figure for the cost of paving 122nd Avenue. The total cost will be $483,780.
The Watson Township Board Thurs
day evening decided to stick with the same dust control service despite a cheaper offer.
The board voted to spend $13,480 per application with Michigan Chloride Sales, which last summer handled laying down a calcium chloride solution on the township’s 43 miles of non-paved roads.
Brad Page with Southwest Michigan Dust Control offered his firm’s services for $11,000 per application. He acknowledged there had been problems with roads getting too wet two years when his firm was doing the work, but he was offering the lower price in hopes of getting a second chance with Watson.
Page also stressed that Southwest Michigan Dust Control is a local company that employs drivers from Allegan County.
“When you cut a check to us, that money stays here,” he told the board. “And we’d like a chance to make it right.”
But Trustee Rod Zeinstra said, “We actually got several phone calls from people who said they liked the work (by Michigan Chloride Sales). We had a lot of compliments on the (two) applications.”
Treasurer Sue Jones added, speaking to a representative from Michigan Chloride, “Your product washes off cars more easily.”
Supervisor Pam Brown chimed in about the applications, “I was surprised they did as well as they did. It was almost like pavement.”
Michigan Chloride Sales will do the first application with tentative plans for a second in late July or early August.
The Township Board also approved spending about $30,000 to the county for putting down gravel on 13th and 14th streets from 120th to 124th Avenue, and 21st Street to 16th and 118th Avenue.
The township also will pay for paving just over two miles of 122nd Avenue west to 20th Street. The estimated cost to pave the road is $483,780. and extended the payoff of $100,000 has been extended to April 1, 2017.