ELDRED, NY — Following additional contract negotiations, Town of Highland officials on June 12 reported the apparent bid costs, pending the return of signed contracts, for the construction of the new highway garage.

They include $1,194,460 for general construction by Verticon Construction of Monroe, $110,000 for plumbing also to Verticon, $238,260 for mechanical to DJ Heating & Air Conditioning of Marlboro, and $162,850 to Schuler-Haas Corp. of Rochester.

Supervisor Jeff Haas said negotiations would yield some $225,000 in savings over the original bids on the $1.7 million project. Haas said the town would apply some $50,000 in-house for addition work including the well, septic and underground electric and solar power. “We’re hoping the building will eventually be totally self-sufficient,” he said.

Councilman Jim Gutekunst said the town’s longer-term obligations for the project will be mitigated by growth in Highland’s assessment rolls and the likely sale of the existing garage property in Eldred. “We’ve already had interest expressed,” he said.

The town board held a special Thursday morning meeting on June 21 and awarded a $16,600 contract to the Laberge Group Engineers to provide project management services for the $1.7 million project.

The town is still awaiting final contract and bond documentation from Verticon Construction of Monroe, NY, which was awarded some $1.3 million general construction and plumbing contracts for the project.

At the June 12 meeting, Haas also announced the completion of the town’s zoning update, and in related business the board approved his application for some $10,000 to $15,000 in county grant funding available for zoning projects. “We have a workable code now. Now we need a little money to finish paying for it,” he said.