Lansford Borough Council will consider changing how it handles bids and bid openings at its next meeting.

Council President Bruce Markovich said Tuesday that he will ask for a resolution to allow him and the borough secretary, Ashely McLaughlin, to open bids with the engineer present.

He said that they would open the bids, look at them and pass them to the engineer for review.

In November, residents questioned the borough engineer opening bids for the proposed salt shed ahead of a public a meeting. Council later tabled and then rejected the bids following a review by the engineer.

This week, the project engineer for the borough’s train station restoration decided to rebid the selective demolition and electrical work portion of the project to address questions about the location of the bid opening.

Borough Code requires that the date, time and location of the bid opening be provided to bidders and other interested parties, upon request, and that they may be present for the opening.

The legal notice for the train station bids that appeared in the Times News in early December did not state where the bids would be opened. Joy Beers, a restoration architect working with the borough, said they’d rebid to address the issue and details would be announced.

Markovich said in an email late Tuesday morning that he also found other issues with the notice, as well as the date of council’s January meeting. Council normally meets on the second Wednesday of the month, which was when the bids would have been opened.

Council moved its meeting to the third Wednesday for January to allow time in between its regular meeting and council’s committee meetings.

Markovich also said that he would like to get new Borough Code books for the office, as its books do not have the updated language dealing with bid openings that they referenced.

Council will also consider requiring that contractors secure a 100% bid bond for all future projects, such as the borough garage, which is an estimated $1 million project, Markovich said.

The Borough Code does not set a limit on a bid bond, and allows council to set the amount, he said. Most municipalities require a 10% bid bond on projects.