By CHARLES OWENS
BLUEFIELD — A plan by city officials to purchase several unique train sculptures has hit an unexpected detour.
After being questioned by Downtown Merchants Association President Art Riley regarding the status of the train sculptures, City Manager Andy Merriman confirmed Tuesday that no bids were received for the proposal. The city had advertised for bids to purchase between 20 to 25 heavy-duty plastic scale injection-molded train sculptures that would resemble the old Ridge Runner locomotive.
Merriman said the project is being readvertised for bids.
“In an abundance of caution and discussions with the state, I decided to readvertise,” Merriman said. “We didn’t get any. No bids were submitted. So I’m going to throw it out there again, and hopefully someone will bite.”
The funding for the train sculptures is coming from the remainder of a grant from the Coal Heritage Highway Aut-hority for the Chicory Square stage and park complex.
“To not do it the right way would effectively forfeit our ability to use the money provided by the state,” Merriman said. “I’m not willing to do that.”
Riley also asked for an update on the lights and awning proposed for Chicory Square. Merriman said plans for a lighting system are moving forward. He said an awning could be challenging.
“I don’t want to get an awning out there just for the sake of having an awning and detracting from the mural and stage,” Merriman said.
In other action, the board agreed to schedule a second public hearing on a proposed 10-year franchise agreement with Kentucky Data Link for broadband service. Merriman said the company has agreed to pay the city $9,750 to place the broadband service underground on McCulloch Avenue. The board also agreed to a three year lease renewal Tuesday for FedEx at the old freight station site. City Attorney Brian Cochran said FedEx will pay the city $2,083.33 a month as part of the lease agreement with an option for an additional renewal after three years.
In other action, board member Mary Frances Brammer said a recent meeting with the Bluefield, Va., Town Council and Bluefield, Va., Mayor Don Harris was very productive.
Merriman said one issue the two Bluefields are interested in pursuing is a possible joint recreational and flood control project in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mayor Linda Whalen said the proposed recreational project would be developed along the wetlands at the end of city park.
The board also heard from Linda Lancaster, a representative of the U.S. Census Bureau, who spoke about the upcoming Census 2010 count.
Whalen said it is critical for all citizens of Bluefield to be counted in order for the city to maintain its current population level.Cochran said Bluefield is currently ranked as a Class 2 city, which means it has a population of between 10,000 to 50,000 citizens.
“Our last census count was 11,500,” Cochran said. “So we are on the verge of being reduced to a Class 3 if we don’t get an accurate count.”
