A $483,000 overhaul could retire Curry’s old well building

Curry’s old well building has another job: sheltering electrical controls from the weather. A $483,000 overhaul recommended for Starkville Utilities would replace those controls with weather-rated equipment, clearing the way to remove the building and clean up the site.⁠[1]

The Mississippi city’s utility department says the existing electrical equipment has reached the end of its useful life. The proposed work would install new electrical panels, motor controls, underground conduit and wiring, and service entrances at the Curry and Parkdale plants. It would also connect a new backup generator to the electrical controls.⁠[1]

JMM Farm and Company became the lowest remaining bidder after McInnis Systems Co. withdrew its $359,622 offer on October 12. In a letter dated that day, Atwell & Gent recommended awarding the work to JMM for $483,000, the lowest of three responsive bids remaining.⁠[1]

The utility department identified water capital-improvement funding as the source of payment and placed the proposed contract on the October 20, 2026, agenda.⁠[1]

That packet establishes a recommendation, not a completed award. The engineer’s letter makes execution of the attached award notice conditional on board approval; the materials reviewed do not establish whether the board ultimately approved the contract.⁠[1]