Klotz admits to mistakenly signing paving contract for parking lot without commissioners approval

Friday, August 23, 2024 at 3:05 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

This week County Commissioner Kevin Overmyer asked President of the Commissioners, Stan Klotz what the county was doing with the parking lot at 211 West Jefferson Street. The county purchased the former law offices of Doug Hite and Joe Simanski in December 2020 and in May of 2021 the building was demolished.

Overmyer said the county is out of compliance with the City of Plymouth because a parking lot can only be gravel for one year and then must be paved. He said the city allowed them to “slide” because while work on the courthouse was happening the contractor used the area for staging. With the courthouse project complete, Overmyer want to know what Klotz’s the plan was for the property.

Commissioner Klotz asked if he wanted to move forward an said they would need to find the funds for the paving project, possibly seek an additional appropriation and then have the work bid.

Overmyer said a proposal put in by Milestone to pave the lot for $49,500 and you signed it last Friday.

Klotz said he signed it by accident. When the County Auditor told him he signed it and had already given it to Highway Superintendent Jason Peters he went to the Highway Department and got it back before it was given to Milestone.

Overmyer said, “So you signed something without our approval or knowing what you were signing.”

Klotz said, “I didn’t realize I signed it, yes. I was going to bring it up in the meeting but with everything else that happened I forgot about it.”

Overmyer said the county needs to get it paved so they will be compliant with the city requirements and Commissioner Mike Burroughs said they need to get proposals as soon as possible because the end of the season is coming.

The County Attorney Jim Clevenger said due to the size of the project they only needed three proposals for the project, but specs would be needed due to drainage requirements.

The commissioners asked highway superintendent Peters to seek 3 proposals for the county’s parking lot on West Jefferson Street.