By Allyson Dix
For Glasgow News 1
Barren County magistrates voted 4-2 to accept the low bid for the low water ford project on Glover Road.
Magistrates were divided on accepting the lowest of four bids in a special-called meeting on Oct. 30, 2026, with Magistrates Derek Pedigo and Tim Durham voting against the motion.
Magistrate Tim Coomer, chairman of the county’s transportation committee, said the committee opened four bids during its meeting that morning. The bids Coomer said the county received for the Glover Road project, which is located southeast of Glasgow, included the following:
Bluegrass Concrete, $429,700; Scott and Murphy, $416,403; Baker Contracting, $186,900; and Intech Contracting, $469,073.
Coomer said all four bids met the project specifications before making a motion to accept the Baker Contracting’s low bid.
Magistrate Durham, who represents District 3 where Glover Road is located, said while he wants to ensure the low water fords are repaired, he did not support accepting the lowest bid.
“I would have to say, at this time, I vote to be against this bid, and the reason I’m doing that is because of the issue I’ve had before in District 3,” Durham said, referring to Ritters Mill Road.
“It just didn’t work out,” Durham said. “I’m not going to call names or whatever but it floated on down Skaggs Creek.”
Durham said the project would not cost the county any money because it has already been paid for by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA.
He questioned accepting the lowest bid, while acknowledging that he wants to see the bridges and low water fords repaired.
Magistrate Brad Groce said because of the large difference between the lowest bid and the other three, taking the lowest bid was his preference.
“There’s such a big gap,” Groce said. “I think we ought to take the low bid because that’s a big gap between the other three. If you were looking at ten, twenty thousand dollars higher, I wouldn’t mind going higher. That’s a big, that’s $240,000 difference.”
Magistrate Marty Kinslow agreed.
“From what I understand, the Baker bid, when Mr. Coomer checked on them to make sure they bid covered specs of what we wanted, each had their references and their references were good,” Kinslow said.
“You know, it’s very hard not to go with the low bid,” he added.
With Magistrate Jeff Botts absent, a roll call vote resulted in Coomer, Kinslow, Groce, and Ronnie Stinson voting in favor of accepting the low bid, while Durham and Pedigo voted against it.
Barren County Deputy Judge-Executive Garland Gilliam said work on the project could begin within a month.
Key Facts:
– Baker Contracting’s accepted bid was $186,900 for the Glover Road ford project.
– Magistrates approved the bid 4-2 on Oct. 30.
– The project is in Barren County District 3, southeast of Glasgow.
– Coomer said all four bids met project specifications.
– Durham and Pedigo opposed the motion; Botts was absent.
What’s Next:
Deputy Judge-Executive Garland Gilliam said work could begin within a month
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