Irwin switched engineering firms, dumping its longtime engineer in favor of a Latrobe firm.

With no public debate on the issue or explanation for its decision, borough council voted 5-2 this week to immediately terminate Bove Engineering Co. of Hempfield and hire Gibson-Thomas Engineering Co.

Council members Rick Burdelski, Leslie Savage, Frank Rossi, Gail Macioce and Shawn Stitely voted to replace Bove Engineering. Voting against the motion were Ron Romeo and Michael Yunn, who said he thought it was “disgusting” that the engineering firm that served the borough for 20 years was treated in that manner.

Yunn proposed that council delay ending the contract until January, but Savage already made the motion to switch engineering firms. She declined to comment following Tuesday’s meeting.

The Gibson-Thomas’ rates for services are “250% higher” than Bove Engineering, Yunn said following the meeting. He added that Bove offered the borough engineering services “at a discount rate.”

After the meeting, Burdelski defended the decision, saying the move will save the borough money. He said “there is a difference between rates and hours.” He would not comment further on matters discussed in executive session, which was held during the meeting.

According to the borough, Bove Engineering charges $70 per hour for professional engineers and surveyors and $45 per hour for support, field crew and inspectors. Gibson-Thomas’s hourly engineering rate varies from $62 to $130 and the hourly fee for support staff starts at $50 an hour; inspectors start at $46 an hour.

In conjunction with replacing Bove Engineering, council voted to terminate the consultant agreement with the firm for a project to replace the Fairwood Drive bridge off Route 30.

Council authorized Shari Martino, borough manager, to complete necessary documents and work with PennDOT to advertise for a new consultant and advance the project.

The project was delayed last year because of the covid pandemic, said Lucien Bove, borough engineer.

Following the meeting, Bove said “we were committed to the borough and provided a lot of services to Irwin for 20 years.”

He declined further comment.

“We feel we can offer a number of services that smaller firms may not be able to offer in-house,” said Daniel Schmitt, Gibson-Thomas general partner.

Schmitt said they have the personnel to do highway and bridge work, traffic design and signals and traffic impact studies. The firm has the ability “to offer many services under one roof,” he added.

As with other professional services, the borough did not sign a contract with Gibson-Thomas for any length of time.

The firm will have a “kickoff meeting” with borough officials to learn about work that is to be done, Schmitt said.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)