Farms Property Owners Association Challenges Supervisors on Cost of Mailbox Cluster Installation

Following a July 15 meeting of the Property Owners of Shenandoah Farms (POSF), board Chairman Tracie Lane posted an “Open Letter to the Warren County Board of Supervisors” on POSF’s new website.

That letter, reprinted below in its entirety, cited what POSF members believe are exorbitant private contractor costs billed to the Sanitary District.

To date, Lane informs us no answer has been received to any of the questions, including why a change from the originally announced County Public Works Department as the installer to contractor GEI.

Open Letter to the Warren County Board of Supervisors – August 10, 2023

Dear Vicki Cook and the Warren County Board of Supervisors,

On March 15, 2023, a letter (from the County Public Works Department, signed by Sanitary District Manager and Deputy Public Works Director Michael Coffelt) was posted on the Warren County Shenandoah Farms Sanitary District web-page stating “At the direction of the County Administrator, Warren County Public Works will begin the next phase of mailbox clusters …”

On March 24, 2023, March 28, 2023, and April 7, 2023, three invoices from GEI were signed by a “Warren County Representative” for the project “Mail Boxes Venus Branch” with a total cost of $4,176. The concrete pad installed for this project measures 16’ x 2’ and is 4 inches thick. The final GEI invoice for the project includes the following:

Excavator, track min. 35,000 lbs – 12 hours @ $108 per hour on 3/23/23, 3/27/23, and 3/28/23

Certified flagger – 45 hours @ $37 per hour on 3/23/23, 3/27/23, and 3/28/23

Foreman w/ truck – 15 hours @ $81 per hour on 3/23/23, 3/27/23, and 3/28/23

The site for this project is a parking lot. The Property Owners of Shenandoah Farms previously installed four mailbox sets in the location. This project was a continuation of the existing installation, adding six mailbox sets (that POSF, which installed the initial mailboxes at the site, estimated a cost of $300 to $400 to accomplish).

Please answer the following questions:

On March 15, 2023, sanitary district property owners were informed via a letter on the sanitary district web page that Public Works would be installing the concrete pad but 10 days later GEI submitted the first invoice for the project. What is the justification for the switch? Why weren’t property owners informed of the change?

Why was a flagger needed for 45 hours for a project at the end of a parking lot?

Why did it cost $4,176 for the labor and equipment for a 16-foot x 2-foot concrete pad?

Where is the invoice that includes the actual concrete used for this project?

Why weren’t Sanitary District staff and equipment used for this project instead of a contractor?

I look forward to your response to these questions.

Sincerely,
Tracie C. Lane
Chair, Board of Directors
Property Owners of Shenandoah Farms