Santa Rosa postpones decision on BoDean asphalt contract worth $800,000

Concerns about alleged code violations at a Santa Rosa asphalt plant caused the City Council to hold off on approving a city contract for nearly $800,000 with the plant’s owner.

The city was set to approve two contracts with asphalt providers Tuesday, one with BoDean Co., for up to $763,000, and one with Syar Industries Inc. of Napa, for up to $765,000.

The contracts were meant to ensure the city has a reliable supply of asphalt for upcoming road construction and repair projects.

Then Councilman Chris Rogers asked whether the city was comfortable that BoDean was a company in good standing with the city.

The city has outstanding code compliance cases against the company for allegedly violating the city’s noise ordinance and for allegedly failing to get permits to do the work at its Maxwell Drive property. It faces $70,000 in fines for the latter violation.

After local resident Anne Seeley told the council she had “serious questions” about the company, City Manager Sean McGlynn cut the conversation short, adding there had been “lines drawn here.”

“I think that there needs to some conversation in your closed session before you proceed any further,” McGlynn said.

With that the council postponed the issue to a later date.

You can reach Staff Writer Kevin McCallum at (707) 521-5207 or kevin.mccallum@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @srcitybeat.