Published: December 02, 2008 09:55 am      

Road materials receive no bids

DUNCAN — No bids were submitted to the Stephens County commissioners for oil and emulsion Monday when bids were opened by the commissioners.

Stephens County Commissioner Frank Kelly was not too concerned because he said the county will not need any oil and emulsion during the wintertime because of the cold weather. When the outside temperature starts to warm up, the commissioners will use oil and emulsion in repaving roads.

The oil and emulsion is placed on the ground and then chips, which are little rocks, are laid on top of the oil.

“The oil keeps the chips on the ground,” Kelly said.

Had any bids for oil and emulsion been submitted and accepted, the bid would have lasted from Jan. 1, 2009, through June 30, 2009. The county has the option to go out for bids again before June if it so chooses.

Another option was suggested by Vicky Ussery, who handles all the bids in the Stephens County clerk’s office.

She said she had contacted the state auditor’s office about the situation.

“They said the county can get three quotes when they need the material,” she said.

The state contracts with a private business to provide oil and emulsion material for any county that wants to purchase through it, but Stephens County Commissioner Darrell Sparks said that it is located too far away to be financially viable to purchase from at the moment.

Kelly said that one reason no bids were submitted is because the company that the commissioners were purchasing oil from had declared bankruptcy. Sem Materials was based out of Tulsa and had allowed counties to continue purchasing material until all it’s inventory was gone.

In other news, three bids were submitted and accepted for rock.

The rock will be used by the commissioners in repaving roads.

Dolese Brothers out of Oklahoma City, Martin Marietta Materials out of Moore and Boral Aggregates out of Yukon all submitted bids that run anywhere from $3.80 per ton to $15.35 per ton, depending on the type and quantity of rock.