State Sen. Sam Givhan (R-Huntsville) believes a recent costly publishing error in a local newspaper might give the Legislature the push it needs to change state law that requires how public and legal notices are published.
Earlier this year, an error was made in the Pickens County Herald dealing with an Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) that is estimated to have cost the state $1.76 million and delayed the final phase of the Gordo Bypass project.
“ALDOT had already opened bids before learning of the oversight, which revealed the contractors’ bids,” ALDOT stated. “As a result, the project had to be rebid, ultimately costing the state an additional $1.76 million.”
Givhan discussed the issue during a recent appearance on WVNN’s “The Dale Jackson Show.”
“[I]t’s not a way to communicate to people,” Givhan said. “It’s not a way to really let people know… ‘How are you really communicating this information? How are you really giving due process out there and fair notice?’ I think for state jobs, how many contractors are going to go, ‘Oh, I wonder what is in the newspaper this morning that I can bid on, versus going to a website?’ They’re going to figure that out real quick. Okay, it’s not like there’s that many contractors around… So, why can’t we use a website?”
Givhan also reflected that the reform was proposed in the past — but never made it through the Legislature.
“Then [State Representative] Andrew Sorrell brought forth a bill that didn’t go very far to try to end this,” he expalined. “Probably five or six years ago…and I guess he ran into a buzz saw with that. And I kept that bill around my desk for a while, wanted to do something with it and got distracted and didn’t.”
RELATED: (2019) State Rep. Sorrell vows to cut government waste by seeking to remove requirement for legal notices to be published in newspapers
Givhan said there’s most likely more momentum to pass a similar bill now because the recent mistake was so costly.
“This could be the momentum it needs to get it kickstarted,” he argued. “And especially, you know, they can’t even get it right all the time, and it costs money. So that’s a possibility.”
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee
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