Turlock to consider rejecting Carnegie bids

TURLOCK — City Council members, as promised, will consider rejecting all bids for the Carnegie Arts Center remodeling project when they meet Tuesday night.

After a closed session at the council's Aug. 10 meeting, City Attorney Phaedra Norton said the council directed staff to reject all bids. An item on Tuesday's consent agenda calls for the council to do just that, with little explanation except citing potential litigation.

In a staff report, principal civil engineer Eric Picciano said after the bids were opened June 18 and Applegate Johnson was determined to be the lowest bidder, the city received four protests. It's not clear if they are from other contractors.

"Per the Public Contract Code, the City Council has discretion to reject any and all bids without having to give a reason," the report says.

Bids on the project all came in below the city's $7.8 million estimate. Later that month, the council agreed to "placemark" $3 million to rebuild the center, provided that arts supporters can put together a comprehensive business plan for its operation.

In November 2005, midway through a small renovation, the building burned in a fire set by two burglars covering their tracks, according to authorities.

Originally one of 2,000 libraries built by industrialist Andrew Carnegie, the center played host to art classes, exhibitions, poetry readings, storytelling, concerts and plays in recent years.