Washington’s City Council, during its meeting Monday, awarded an $83,124 contract to Sawyer’s Residential & Marine Construction to build the Peoples Pier and erect the pier’s gazebo-like structure.

Sawyer’s Residential & Marine Construction submitted the low bid among the three bids received by the city. DB&H Commercial Contractors submitted a $142,300 bid, while TJ’s Marine Construction submitted a $101,800 bid.

The city plans to purchase the premade gazebo-like structure.

Although the vote to award the contract was unanimous, Councilman Doug Mercer expressed concern about the pier possibly infringing upon the navigable channel in the Pamlico River.

“I would like to be sure that we have documentation in hand that says this pier will not infringe upon the channel,” he said.

John Rodman, the city’s community and cultural services director, said it’s his understanding from information related to the Coastal Area Management Act permit the city needs to build the pier that the pier will be about 10 feet short of the required setback from the channel, which is controlled by the Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers.

Mercer said he would like the Coast Guard and Corps of Engineers to acknowledge the pier would not infringe upon the channel.

“I think it’s better to resolve the issue than have it become a problem later on,” Mercer said.

The city budgeted $150,000 for the project.

Plans for the pier show it extending from south of Harding Square and into the Pamlico River. The walkway is about 32 feet long and 8 feet wide. The pier’s platform will be about 40 feet by 36 feet.

The proposed gazebo-like structure will be in the shape of a polygon, according to city documents. That structure will be about 20 feet by 20 feet. Its purpose is to provide shade during summer months.

The city has 30 pilings (each 50 feet in length) that must be used for the project, according to the city document containing project specifications.