McHenry County officials have reopened the process to select an engineering firm for the proposed McHenry bypass, keeping alive charges of back-room politics on behalf of a local engineering firm.
The County Board’s Transportation Committee voted on Wednesday to allow any engineering firm to submit a proposal for the job.
In July, the committee recommended hiring Environmental Science & Engineering Inc. of Chicago. But one month ago the committee voted to ignore its decision and create an advisory committee made up of area elected officials to select an engineer.
Some County Board members have charged the committee’s reversal resulted from political arm-twisting on behalf of Smith Engineering Co. of McHenry, which was one of 13 firms that bid on the job last summer.
The contract for the McHenry bypass engineering work is estimated to be about $800,000. The advisory committee still needs full County Board approval before it can meet.
County Highway Supt. James Stahlecker said he expects it to be one month before interested engineering firms will be able to submit new proposals.
Gary Baker, associate vice president of Environmental Science, said the committee’s original decision to hire his firm was the correct one.
“I’ve never heard a good reason why they feel the need to reissue the (request for proposals),” Baker said.
He said the firm’s corporate attorneys are keeping their eyes on the county’s actions.
“We have to look at all options,” Baker said, adding that he did not know if his firm would submit a new proposal.
The McHenry bypass would swing off of Illinois Highway 31 south of McHenry, skirt the west side of town and then link up with Illinois 31 north of McHenry near Ringwood.
The exact route would be decided after engineering studies, environmental-impact reports and public hearings, a process that could take two years, Stahlecker said.
