Cincinnati-based PRIME AE is the City of Union’s new engineering services provider.
The recommendation of the engineering, architecture and construction management firm was presented during Monday’s regular city commission meeting.
Last month, officials indicated a process was being developed for selecting new engineering services after the city commission voted to terminate city engineer Barry Burke’s contract on Sept. 6.
“We did meet as the public works committee,” commissioner Brian Garner said during Monday’s session. “We do have a city engineering recommendation.”
The process involved contacting firms with which the city had familiarity from past experiences, with four companies eventually submitting proposals, officials said.
“The good news is that in Northern Kentucky, we have plenty of civil engineering talent,” Union Public Works Director Paul Kremer said. “We’re not at a shortage in any way in this area with that skill set. We are recommending Prime AE to be selected tonight.”
Any of the firms submitting proposals could have been selected and would have provided good service – but among the determining factors was a resume that included work with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and OKI (Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments), officials said.
“And we kind of need to go with the lowest cost and that’s what Prime AE gave us,” Kremer said.
The firm will be paid $170 per hour on an on-call basis, according to the municipal order.
Burke was paid $115 per hour and worked solely in a contractual capacity during his tenure, Union City Administrator Amy Safran told LINK nky. Burke was informed Sept. 7 that his contract would be terminated effective Oct. 7 and filled the city engineer role for 19 years.