City Council “tabled” its decision to award a citywide street reconstruction bid Thursday night amid statements from the owner of one of the bidding companies saying something was amiss.

Council did not elaborate on why it is delaying the job, which is bid at $1.3 million.

But first it allowed the company representative to speak.

“We jumped through hoops” to get the award and did everything right, said Ryan King, a minority owner of Big Rock Paving, of Lewisberry, and owner of Rylind Construction Co.

Local firm Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc., which has done work regularly in the city, had been recommended for the contract.

Big Rock Paving, however, said it bid $96,000 less than Hawbaker, which was the second-lowest bidder.

The city is going to pay $96,000 more for the same work and same quality that is protected by the performance bonds all contractors are required to get as part of their contract, according to King.

Meanwhile, HRI Inc was going to be a partner with Big Rock and, if not selected, that business — which has a plant in the city — would lose about $600,000 in revenue from the potential decision, King added.

King said there appears to be no measurable matrix to deem someone a responsible bidder.

“It’s all personal opinions that could be persuaded in one form or another,” he told the Sun-Gazette. “This could cause taxpayers to constantly pay higher costs for work other qualified firms can do cheaper, but won’t be allowed.”

“This will have a snowball effect on future projects and tax payers obligations,” he told the Sun-Gazette.