City re-bids Booker T. gym renovation work

The city of Philadelphia will be seeking bids for the second time to install new bathrooms at the Booker T. Washington gym.

On a motion made by Ward 2 Alderman Jim Fulton and seconded by Ward 1 Alderman Justin Clearman, the board voted 5-0 to allow Allen & Hoshall to re-advertise for bids to install new handicap assessable bathrooms.

This part of the  project will be funded by Community Development Block Grant of about $225,000. The first round of bids exceeded available funds.

The first phase of the overall $1.2 million project, which included replacing the roof, gym floor while making other repairs, was completed last year.

“We are re-bidding the Booker T. project,” Mayor James Young said. “The engineers have gone back and looked at everything. We had to re-bid because there is the possibility of a little more funding coming from the state.”

In other matters, aldermen voted to:

• Approve a motion to pay an Allen Engineering invoices totaling $3,264 and $6,855 for work on the Airport Lighting Improvement Project and the Airport Runway Seal Coat Project

• Approve a motion to hire Christopher Harold as a reserve officer with the police department. The motion was approved unanimously;

• Approve a motion to pay Mississippi Municipal Court Clerk Association dues of $100. The motion was approved unanimously;

• Approve a motion to advertise for bid Paratech Rescue Strut System for use with the Fire Department. The motion was unanimously approved;

• Approve a motion to suspend a Street Department employee for three days without pay. The motion was approved unanimously; and,

• Approve a motion to suspend a police officer for 84 hours without pay. The motion was approved unanimously.