One main item of business for Monday’s council meeting in Oliver – completion of the Spartan Street sidewalk project that will cover the last leg of a long process to encompass the schools’ playfields.

Contractor cost $218,610 (Mike Johnson Excavating Ltd) – total budget $231,00. Only one contractor bid on the job. The project is over budget but expected to be approved.

Report to Council: Staff have worked with TRUE Engineering and have also forwarded designs to the School District #53 (SD53) for everyone’s input. We agreed that the design proposed and submitted for tender, was the best option that works for the Town of Oliver and SD53 in providing; the least amount of disturbance to School grounds, tree removal, maximizing parking, aesthetics and connecting/completing the sidewalk corridor around the Schools. The Town only received one bid for this contract because we have noticed and been told that most contractors seem to be too busy or have over extended their project loads as is. Putting the project off may not lower bid prices or getting more bids right now because of those reasons. Mike Johnson Excavating Ltd. was awarded the previous sidewalk project for the first phase and is quite capable of continuing the new project phase and delivering the final completion date of September 28, 2018.