MUSKEGON -- The Muskegon City Commission this week bypassed its bidding policy, rejecting the lowest bidder -- and even the second-lowest bidder -- to give a street-paving project to Muskegon-based Jackson-Merkey Contractors.

Milbocker & Sons Inc. of Allegan actually had submitted the lowest bid of $520,531.21 for the repaving of Beidler Street, between Laketon and Southern avenues, and had received a staff recommendation for approval by the commission.

Milbocker has done several major road projects for the city in recent years, including Shoreline Drive East, the rebuilding of Western Avenue and intersecting streets in the downtown area, and the Lakeshore Trail.

In this case, Milbocker's bid was well below the next-lowest $523,309 bid turned in by McCormick Sand Inc., 5430 Russell. But McCormick was still within the 1 percent differential triggering local preference under a city policy established in 2005.