(A) Advertisement for bids; awarding of contract. The County Commissioners of Garrett County, when about to construct any highway or bridge, except such as may be done by the County Commissioners by and through the employees of its County Roads Department, shall advertise for at least 2 weeks in 1 or more newspapers published in the county for sealed proposals for the construction of the highway or bridge, accurately describing the same and stating the time and place for opening the proposals and reserving the right to reject any and all proposals. The proposals shall be publicly opened at the time specified in the advertisement, and the contract for work or for the supplies and materials required for the construction shall be awarded by the County Commissioners to the lowest responsible bidder, unless, in the opinion of the County Commissioners, the interest of the county shall be better served by awarding the contract to some other bidder, then this may be done.
(B) Supervision and approval of work; execution of formal contract and bond. The construction improvement of all highways in Garrett County shall be under the supervision and subject to the approval of the County Commissioners, in accordance with plans and specifications prepared by or at the instance of the County Roads General Superintendent and approved by the County Commissioners. In all cases where the contract for work and materials shall be given out after competitive bidding, the successful bidder shall promptly execute a formal contract, to be approved as to its form, terms and conditions by the County Commissioners, and shall also execute and deliver to the County Commissioners a good and sufficient bond, to be approved by them, to the state in not less than the amount of the contract price. In no case shall any such bond be approved or accepted unless the obligors bind themselves therein to the payment of all just debts for labor and materials incurred by the bidder in the construction and improvement of the road or bridge contracted for; provided, however, that the County Commissioners may do any part or parts of any such work under such conditions in every respect as they may prescribe, by labor employed through the County Roads Department.
(C) Purchases of road machinery and equipment. When deemed necessary or advisable to purchase trucks or other road-building or repair equipment, the County Commissioners shall make all due and reasonable effort to obtain the same at the lowest possible price. Acquisition of equipment shall be in accordance with § 30.23. The County Commissioners may trade in old equipment on new purchases or dispose of old equipment whenever they deem the same advisable or expedient. The County Commissioners shall budget the amount to be expended for road machinery and equipment each year. (1986 Code, § 20-18) (1957 Code, § 69; 1945, Ch. 1033; 1959, Ch. 62, § 69(c); P.L.L., 1972, Ch. 51; 1975, Ch. 14; 1995, Ch. 35)