The Marked Tree City Council met in special section Monday night to accept bids for the upcoming sports and recreation complex.

The city advertised for three bids. Bid one dealt with equipment rental while bid two was for the installation of sidewalks, curbs, gutters and driveways, land leveling and installing concrete ramps. The third bid was for furnishing crushed limestone and rip rap.

"We only received two bidders for each bid," said Mayor Dixon Chandler. "We had several other people pick up bid packets but only two were returned."

The two bidders were Cameron Construction, owned by Mike Cameron of Jonesboro, and Gillis Construction owned by Jim Gillis of Jonesboro and Glen Gillis of Marked Tree.

Cameron Construction was the lowest bidder in the first bid for equipment rental by more than $220,000 while Gillis came in with the low bid for the third bid for crushed limestone. Chandler recommended that the second bid be split with each contractor given the work for the item for which he bid the lowest.

Alderman Waylon Dunn expressed concern about the fact that Cameron Construction is owned by Mike Cameron, who is serving as the construction engineer for the project through his partnership at Associate Engineers.

"The engineer's job is to oversee construction, but how can he oversee it if he's doing it," Dunn asked.

Chandler stressed the fact that the city only received two bids, and he said he felt it was in the city's best interest to go with the lowest bidder.

Dunn said he didn't understand how the bids were based since now specs had been detailed.

"We're putting bids out, but we haven't seen a plan or any specs," Dunn said.

Chandler said Cameron would be at the council's regular meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11 to address any questions the council might have.

"We have a plan with everything in it," Chandler said. "We just don't know how far the money will go or what order we'll be able to put things in the park. But we can't do anything until we start the ground work."

Both aldermen Michael Scott and Cleo Johnson, Jr. asked if the approval of the bids could be postponed until the regular meeting during which Cameron would be present.

"Time is running out," Chandler said. "It's still grass season, so the quicker we get the dirt work done the faster they can plant some grass out there."

Dunn said he still wanted to see specs for items such as drainage, fencing, lighting and other items for the park.

"There's rules about how you can put that stuff in," Dunn said.

"Well, I don't think you can get specs until you get the ground work done first," Chandler said. "I don't know how to read specs. Do you?"

"I'd like to try," Dunn said.

Glenn Gillis was present in the audience, and Chandler allowed him to address the council about the bidding process.

Gillis said the bids were based on estimates for time and material rather than for specific detailed plans.

"The city really gets the cheapest price this way," he said.

After some discussion, the council voted unanimously to accept Cameron Construction's bid for equipment rental (bid one) and to accept Gillis' bid for the limestone (bid three.) The council voted to split bid two between the two bidders, giving each bidder the work for which they bid the lowest.