TOMPKINSVILLE — All design build proposals for a second building to complete the Monroe County Wellness Center project were rejected Thursday by the Monroe Fiscal Court.

Magistrates followed the advice of Jeff Arnold with Arnold Consulting Engineering Services Inc. of Bowling Green, who told county attorney Wes Stephens in a meeting Wednesday that he had some complaints that not all the companies interested in the project were bidding the same package.

“He wants to readvertise and then let everybody come back with a new proposal so there’s no confusion,” Stephens said. “He wants it to be in the local paper next Thursday and then the design build proposals will be opened on Oct. 29.”

The project includes a six-lane swimming pool that will meet all requirements set forth by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association and a cardio fitness area, plus all related support facilities.

Money for the project was allocated through the Kentucky General Assembly when it passed House Bill 308 in 2006 providing funding for the phase in the state’s budget.

The first set of design build proposals were opened Oct. 8. Only three construction companies submitted design build proposals for the second buidling. Venture Contracting, of Glasgow, bid $2,654,776; Alliance Corporation, of Glasgow, bid $2,998,230; and J&S; Construction of Cookeville, Tenn., bid $2,988,700. Magistrates were scheduled to select a company Thursday for the project.

Stephens also said Arnold has requested magistrates be present for the Oct. 29 bid opening.

Magistrate Alonzo Ford asked what was wrong with the original bids.

“The companies are saying it wasn’t clear enough that they were proposing apples to apples,” Stephens said. “He thinks with this new proposal it will get rid of any confusion and everyone will be on the same playing field.”

Ford then asked if there was a lot of difference in the design build proposals financially.

“Well, there was and then again there wasn’t,” said judge-executive Wilbur Graves. “If you’ll look at the information they supplied, one was quite a bit cheaper, but the one that was quite a bit cheaper didn’t supply any information. They really presented nothing.”

Arnold showed Stephens the proposals Wednesday during their meeting.

“Two of them gave complete proposals with schematics and pictures of the building, and one just said, ‘Here, we will give you a building for this amount of money.’”

The company whose proposal was lacking in information was Venture Contracting of Glasgow. Alliance Corporation of Glasgow and J&S; Construction of Cookeville, Tenn., submitted multi-page proposals with photos and schematics.

Ford asked if the magistrates would have the final say on who gets the project. Graves said they would.

“The fiscal court will have to approve it,” he said. “That’s why (Jeff Arnold) wanted fiscal court members to be here for the presentation.”

Stephens suggested magistrates meet in a special-called session on Oct. 29 so all will be present for the design build presentation.

Magistrates approved two motions Thursday in relation to the project.

The first motion gave Arnold Engineering permission to prepare and distribute design build criteria, and to assist in the evaluation of the proposals for the Monroe County Wellness Center second building. It was noted in the motion that Arnold Engineering will not be paid a fee for the service.

The second motion authorized Graves to advertise for design build proposals for the Monroe County Wellness Center’s second building.

Graves told those present for Thursday’s meeting that there had been a lot of rumors circulating about the project and that some information had been posted on an online forum Web site.

“None of it is nothing but a damn lie,” he said. “If there is a question on anything we’ve got people to call. Because of all this is designed out and set out to specifications.”

Graves said he consulted with state officials on the matter and was told to either move on with the project or let it fall to the wayside.

“There’s been so much interference from outside sources and they just told me plainly that the fiscal court needs to take charge of this and either build the building or let the project go by the wayside and let the money be sent back to Frankfort.”

The deadline for spending the money is June 1.

Graves said someone outside of county government contacted Frankfort “and makes a big deal out of it and said we can get an extension. The only way we can get an extension on this money is if it goes back through legislation. Once this goes back to the House floor and the Senate floor they’ll say ‘those idiots can’t spend $3 million in several years (and) we will give it to somebody else.’ They’re not going to give us that money back.”

The special-called meeting is set for 3 p.m. Oct. 29.