Bids for the water and sewer system replacement project at the Allegheny-Clarion Valley Business Park exceed available funding, forcing county officials to look for cost savings in the bids.

The bids were about $1.2 million more than the grant money the county has for the project, said Leslie Osche, chairwoman of the county commissioners.

The commissioners voted Wednesday, Dec. 18, to table the bids from three contractors that were opened Dec. 9 for the project to replace the failing water and sewer systems at the business park.

Officials said value added engineering will be used to look for cost savings in the bids.

The county is using a $1.25-million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, a state H2O grant and American Rescue Plan Act money to fund the project.

Book and Proch Well Drilling, of New Castle, bid $3.59 million for the general construction contract, $76,750 for the plumbing contract, $37,240 for the HVAC contract and $284,890 for the electrical contract.

Fred L. Burns Inc., of Shippenville, bid $123,000 for the plumbing contract, and Konzel Construction Co. Inc., of Erie, bid $1.06 million for the plumbing contract for the sewage treatment plant.

The commissioners voted to re-advertise the electrical contract for the sewage plant because no bids were submitted.

In other business, the commissioners adopted resolutions to enact the 2025 budget that does not raise taxes. The resolutions adopt the $257,047,606 budget, set the real estate tax rate at 21.839 mills, allocates 2.852 mills to debt service and allocates 2.935 mills to Butler County Community College.

The commissioners voted to transfer $332,665 in ARPA money from the Connoquenessing Sewer Authority to Connoquenessing Township for a sewer project.

The commissioners approved a grant agreement with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency for $127,923 for upgrades to the 911 emergency dispatch system.

The commissioners also approved three contracts totaling $87,215 to install a restroom in Alameda Park near the carousel shelter. Clark Contractors, of Bedford, received the $23,405 excavation contract and $51,918 plumbing contract, and Schultheis Electric, of Latrobe, received the $11,892 electrical contract.