bvelliquette@heraldsun.com; 918-1042
CARRBORO -- Alderman-elect Sammy Slade dropped the "-elect" as he was sworn in Tuesday to fill a vacant seat on the town's governing body.
Slade, 35, won a seat on the Carrboro Board of Aldermen in last week's election and will be sworn in again on Dec. 1 with the other two Nov. 3 election winners, incumbents Jacquelyn Gist and Randee Haven-O'Donnell.
Because there was an empty seat on the board due to the resignation of John Herrera in August, the aldermen voted Tuesday to seat Slade immediately.
Mayor Mark Chilton said he had suggested in August that whoever won Herrera's seat could be sworn in early.
Once Slade was sworn in, he took a seat with a big smile, and his colleagues voted to reject a project bid on the construction of three bus shelters.
Slade voted unanimously with the other board members to reject a bid of $63,057 that was submitted by Hamlett and Associates of Charlotte to build the shelters. It was the only bid Carrboro received on the project.
Carrboro has funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for $48,296 to build the shelters, and a portion of that must be applied to design costs.
The project calls for the installation of two bus shelters on existing concrete pads along N.C. 54 and the installation of one bus shelter with a concrete pad on West Main Street in front of the Town Hall. The installation of photovoltaic lighting systems at each shelter is included in the project.
The town will re-bid the project in the hope of receiving more competitive bids. The town must award the contract before Dec. 31 or it will lose the funding.
