North Vernon is one step closer to having a new pool for the city park. The city council voted 4-1 to award the contract to Dave O’Mara Contractors. Seven companies submitted bids to the city, but the apparent low-bidder, Maxwell Construction, quickly withdrew its bid due to an accounting error. That opened the door for Dave O’Mara to win the bid.

The winning base bid was $3,343,000. If all amenities are factored in and approved, the total could go as high as $3,492,000. City council members say the bid is a little higher than what they were anticipating. However, parks department staff say that contractor representatives have indicated to look into opportunities where costs can be reduced without impacting function and user comfort. Council members could not address the scope of any potential savings, as the contractor would not discuss those possibilities without first receiving the contract.

A timeline for establishing the entire scope and cost of the work has not yet been established.