Hopatcong Could Can Construction Company

The construction company in charge of major renovations on Hopatchung Road is in danger of being replaced.

Hopatcong awarded Covino & Sons via lowest bid the nearly $400,000 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-funded project replacing the road's sidewalks and curbs and adding streetlights. But the project, which began in late September, hasn't gone smoothly, Borough Engineer John Ruschke said Thursday.

"We're almost at a point where we're going to throw them off the job," he said.

President Gennaro Covino admitted Thursday receiving notifcation through a bonding company that Covino & Sons could be replaced if things get worse.

"We're committed to doing" the job, Covino said. "We're here."

Ruschke said the company didn't follow parts of the construction plan and some Americans with Disabilities Act guidlines while installing sidewalk ramps. Ruschke also said the company should have started the work earlier last year and that the final results weren't up to expectations.

"The quality of the work was just poor and we did not accept it," the borough engineer said. "We asked them to remove sections where the finish of the concrete was just not acceptable."

Ruschke said the company wouldn't be paid for the reconstruction. Covino said his company would work closely with the borough to ensure things were right the second time around.

"We're working together as far as correcting it properly and getting it done within the next few days in regards to the concrete and the ramps," Covino said.

Ruschke said some of the company's measurements were "slightly off" and that the finish on some of the concrete sidewalks wasn't acceptable.

Covino said some of the measurements were off by "an eighth of an inch" and "there were a couple of imperfections that they weren't crazy about." Covino also said unpredictable weather deterred the company from working into late fall and picking up again early in the spring.

"From the winter starting earlier and being harsher than we expected and the spring time being too wet and stating late, unfortunately we had to start later than expected," Covino said. "The inconsistent weather was beyond our control."

State law requires municipalities award projects to lowest bidders. Convino & Sons came in at $337,121.

The Department of Transportation in March gave Hopatcong an extra $62,345 for extra streetlights on Hopatchung Road; a walkway in front of borough hall for a firefighters' memorial; an electronic display sign also to be placed in front of borough hall; and curbing.