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HARRISON TOWNSHIP — At its meeting on Oct. 27, the Harrison Township Board of Trustees voted 5-2 to approve Fishbeck as the township’s new contracted engineering firm.
Trustees Brian Batkins and Liza Brown cast the opposing votes.
According to items attached to the agenda packet, the township previously had Wade Trim as its engineering firm beginning in 2006. They solicited bids in 2025 and received six back, including a bid from Fishbeck. The three full-time members of the board interviewed the firms and analyzed the costs of each individual bid.
According to Township Supervisor Kenneth Verkest, Fishbeck submitted its proposals a week late which drew the concern of a few trustees. At the board’s last meeting on Oct. 14, board members voted to disqualify a company for submitting items late.
“I feel like this is a little bit different because in that week’s time the only thing we did was send an email to five firms saying we need to schedule interviews,” Verkest said.
He said the only thing the sixth firm, Fishbeck, knew at that time was that there were five firms whereas in the decision at the previous meeting, the costs were already revealed to the public.
“There wasn’t any irregularities so Mr. Huth had suggested after we talk to them to make sure that it was OK,” Verkest said.
Township Attorney Robert Huth suggested the township add language stating they waive any irregularities involved in the process.
“Because for the reasons that Mr. Verkest stated there was no advantage given to this firm,” Huth said.
Trustee Biran Batkins was confused by the suggestion and how the previous meeting’s situation differed from the situation in front of them. Township Clerk Adam Wit stated the board would take the action to waive the irregularity.
“We can say, ‘Hey, we can waive it, there was no advantage to this firm and it’s the firm we want, it’s in the best interest of the firm,’” Wit said.
Verkest said the bid language states the board has the right to modify the bid as they choose and said Huth’s language suggestion was to acknowledge the issue. He explained to firms in interviews that a sixth firm had submitted late, stating if the roles were reversed, they’d want to be considered.
Verkest clarified no firms did anything wrong in the situation from the previous meeting or the Oct. 27 meeting.
“In that situation, the first we learned about the fact that there was a fourth bid for that (work) was after we literally published the board packet with everybody’s cost proposal,” Verkest said about the previous meeting.
He went on to say they don’t know what the cost proposal would have been, but it could have been modified based on the already published numbers.
Verkest stated that Fishbeck was not the lowest bidder, but there will also be a probationary period comparing the engineering firm to a new employee.
After more discussion, Batkins stated he was steadfast on what he agreed to last time.
“You didn’t submit on time, five other bidders did, that’s just how it is,” Batkins said. “That’s my personal opinion.”
Trustee Dean Olgiati said he was worried about two “snafus” in two weeks. Wit clarified the issues were not the fault of the township.
Wit explained the reason they brought up the late submittal at the last meeting was because it was at a lower cost.
“If it was $10,000 higher, we probably would have never brought it up to you guys. If it’s late, it’s late,” Wit said.
He went on to say the rules say they can do whatever they want including waiving the stipulations and the board can agree not to do that, too. He also said after they went through an extensive process, they felt they made the right choice.
Olgiati said his concern is not the vetting process, but how to clean the process up.
“That’s my biggest concern with the irregularities,” Olgiati said.
Batkins made a motion to table the item and the motion failed.
Brown said she would appreciate more time to read through the proposals to make sure she could vote fairly. She said she understood the difference from the two meetings. Oligiati said he thinks the four part-timers understand the work that goes into it but agreed that he wishes he had more time to go over the documents.
“These last details are a little bit uncomfortable for me,” Olgiati said.
