By GAGE WILSON
For Glasgow News 1
At a special-called meeting of the Glasgow City Council Finance Committee, members received updates on several projects in downtown Glasgow, including the closed pedestrian bridge near the public square and a retaining wall off West Main Street.
Given the scope of the projects, construction equipment will need to occupy privately owned land requiring the city to procure easements, which grants permission for that land to be used for public projects. They first discussed the pedestrian bridge.
“As we all know the bids came back much higher than we thought,” said Mayor Henry Royse. “Now what’s happened is we’re going to have to have a crane here to take the first portion of that walkway bridge down.”
Royse went on to explain that the project will entail core drilling to locate the bedrock beneath the structure, removing guesswork from the construction process.
“It’s going to be a two-phase process of getting the crane in to take the bridge out,” said Royse. “And then drill down, because they’re going to put these concrete piers in there to actually touch the bedrock.”
Councilwoman Chasity Lowery affirmed the need for the easements, noting they will help expedite the project and reduce the cost of keeping heavy equipment on site.
Royse added that the crane –- likely the largest and most expensive piece of equipment — will be brought in and removed between phases to avoid paying for it while “it just sits there doing nothing.”
The project was originally estimated to cost just over $400,000 by city-partnered engineering firm Qk4. However, the lowest bid received came in nearly $300,000 higher, at $697,026 from Adams Contracting, LLC.
“Cranes are apparently a good investment,” Royse noted.
Staying on the topic of city projects, the committee also recognized the opening of the new farmers’ market facility. While some finishing touches remain, the building has reached what Royse described as “substantial completion,” which he defined as having major systems like electrical and plumbing in place.
The remaining work, he said, is less integral to the structure –- using outlet cover replacements as an example.
“Substantial completion is when you’re almost done,” he summarized.
Due to delays in construction, the city is currently negotiating with Staco Construction Inc., a subsidiary of Concentric Corp. of America, over liquidated damages.
“Liquidated damages is where they have a contract in place that says they will complete the project by a certain date,” explained Chairman Terry Bunnell. “When they don’t complete by that certain date then they have to pay a penalty for failure to deliver to us.”
According to Treasurer Victoria Simmons, the current total for those damages is around $99,000 owed to the city due to delays in the market’s completion.
Simmons also said the city’s reconstruction of a retaining wall along West Main Street is slated to begin in July. The project is expected to cost around $275,000 and has been awarded to Outdoor Specialties & Landscaping, LLC.
“Everything is in order to make it happen, it’s in the budget,” Royse said. “We have had utilities up there to get the telephone lines moved off of there so they can have free run up there, so it’s going to happen real quick.”
Simmons added that the landfill bridge project is also nearing completion, with work expected to wrap up within two weeks.
After some deliberation, the committee set its next meeting for May 21 at 5:30 p.m.
Key facts:
– Glasgow Finance Committee held a special-called meeting at City Hall on April 30, 2026, at 5:30 p.m.
– City has obtained easements needed to remove a defunct West Main Street bridge and build a new pedestrian bridge on the public square.
– Original bridge project was estimated at just over $400,000; lowest bid from Adams Contracting, LLC is $697,026.
– Mayor Henry Royse said work will be done in two phases with a crane and core drilling to reach bedrock for concrete piers.
– Councilwoman Chasity Lowery said easements will help speed the project and cut equipment costs.
– Farmers’ market new facility is considered substantially complete, with only minor finish work remaining.
– Treasurer Victoria Simmons said about $99,000 in liquidated damages are currently owed to the city over market construction delays by Staco Construction Inc.
– Reconstruction of a retaining wall along West Main Street is set to begin in July at an expected cost of about $275,000, awarded to Outdoor Specialties & Landscaping, LLC.
– Simmons said the landfill bridge project is expected to wrap up within about two weeks.
– The committee set its next meeting for May 21 at 5:30 p.m.
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