Multi-national contractor Balfour Beatty has filed suit against the City of Visalia in a dispute over bidding on the $93 million upgrade to the city’s Water Conservation Treatment Plant. The project recently awarded to rival W.M. Lyles is the largest public works project in Visalia history.In the lawsuit filed October 29 in Tulare County Superior Court attorneys for the British-based Balfour Beatty request the court approve an injunction against the City of Visalia from moving forward on the contract with construction of the project set to start in coming weeks.
At dispute is whether the city properly awarded the contract to W.M. Lyles (WML) even though Lyles did not list the required name of equipment manufacturers on their bid. They say the city waived the requirement after the fact. In addition the suit says the city council who approved the bid 3 to 1 “ignored city staff and the city attorney in waiving the defects in WML’s bid.”
Visalia attorney Alex Peltzer said the city”did everything right” in their awarding of the lowest bid to Lyles.
There is a December 13 court hearing in front of Judge Lloyd Hicks.
Hotel Occupancy Up in September in the Tulare/Visalia area according to Smith Travel – reaching 70% compared to 67.3% occupancy in September 2012. There was a 4% increase in rooms sold.
Let’s Eat – Pita Kabob’s New Downtown Location: The former Strubles Auto Parts building at 214 North Court is being converted by owner William Martin into an office/restaurant combo.Martin confirms he has a signed lease with Pita Kabob,the Middle Eastern favorite with two locations in town already, to open a Downtown spot.Pita Kabob owner Chafic Dada says the eatery and beer garden should open in Spring.The 3300sf restaurant will feature a full line of craft beers.”We are really excited we can open in Downtown – the heartbeat of Visalia.”The former Struble Auto Parts started up in 1947 founded by Jim Struble who passed away recently. The business with several branches around the county operated until 2003. Much of Downtown’s old automobile stores have given way to retail/restaurants in past decades.
Downtown Visalia: OMNI-MEANS offering engineering and planning consulting services will relocate from Main St to 200 E Center at the former county court building next to TCAG likely by February says office manager Mike Winton.