By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Juab County Commissioners were not happy about a
misunderstanding which lead readers of The Times-News to
believe the hospital bid was a done deal.
The bid was awarded for the one time Juab County
Hospital buildings to Ray Huffman.
However, Huffman, as the highest bidder, at $122,000,
said he was exercising the 14-day option to pay-up in full
or to forfeit his opportunity by reneging on his decision to
receive award of the bid.
Commissioner Wm. Boyd Howarth charged that the press
had given a false impression that the bid had now been
awarded to David Leavitt, former county attorney, who
entered the next highest bid $81,257 for Option A and
$54,155 for Option B.
"Let that be a lesson to you," said Mike Seely, county
administrator. "When we left the meeting the bid had been
awarded to Ray Huffman. That was what took place in public
and what should have been reported."
Assumptions cannot be made, in spite of the fact that
Huffman contacted the commission and the press.
The building is still under control of the county
until the formal waiting period is complete and until a
formal and publicly announced decision is made.
"I contacted commissioners that I was not able to firm
up the expected funding and, therefore, would not be
purchasing the property," Huffman said earlier.
Even though Huffman has stated that he will bow out
and allow the second-highest bidder, the David Leavitt Firm,
the option of purchasing the building, he cannot legally do
so before the 14 day period is completed, said Howarth,
commissioner.
In addition, the end result may or may not be as
Huffman expected. That decision must still be arrived at and
then the decision will be made in a public meeting.
"The bid was awarded in a public meeting," said
Howarth. "We, as a commission, cannot decide to do anything
with the property until the 14 days allowed Huffman has
past."
Three bids were entered in the process.
Both the county and Huffman are bound by the 14-day
clause. Even if Huffman contacted the commission and the
press, nothing legal can be done until the grace period is
over.
Since commissioners retained the right to award the
bid to not just the highest bidder but the one with the best
plan for the property, any decision they might make is
premature conjecture.
Each bidder was given two options: option A was for
the hospital building with the former clinic attached and
option B was for the hospital with the county retaining the
clinic.
Commissioners have been interested in protecting the
long-term lease by Mountainland Head Start.
Huffman, who preferred and, at the bid opening,
selected Option A, had bid $92,000 on Option B.
Until the 14 days have elapsed on Wednesday, March 3,
the bid cannot be considered free of obligations and cannot,
therefore, be awarded to the next bidder.
That determination will be discussed and then may be
disclosed at the next commission meeting to be held on March
15.
Leavitt has not proposed demolition of the facility
but rehabilitation and reuse of the former hospital campus
for an undisclosed purpose.
A bid was also entered by Grant Loader who bid $5,000
on each option.
No matter which option is selected by the bidder, in
concert with the commission, Mountainland Head Start will be
protected with the continuance of a long-term lease which
will allow use of the once medical clinic as a preschool.
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