Wheatland council put off choosing a consultant to run its housing rehabilitation program until at least Wednesday.

Council members got their first glimpse of the proposals from two companies Wednesday, and want to give themselves time to read over their proposals.

The consultant will set program guidelines and procedures, inspect homes proposed for work, make work write-ups and cost estimates, set up contractor bidding, perform final inspections and approve payment.

There were clear cost differences between the proposals, but Chris Conti, planner with Mercer County Regional Planning Commission, asked council members not to base their decisions just on cost.

"Cost is a big thing but it isn't a real bricks and mortar type of thing," he said.

The commission takes $15,000 off the top of the $250,000 grant for administration, Conti said, acknowledging "The more we have to pay for implementation, the less we have for houses."

Assuming that the two companies would be able to rehab 18 houses, a figure that might change in reality, Graney, Grossman, Ray, Colosimo and Associates, Grove City, said it could rehab houses for an administrative fee of $1,370 a house, with one-time start-up costs of $7,990.

Mourice Waltz Planners and Consultants, Sharpsville, said it could do the job more cheaply at a cost of $1,000 a house and one-time costs of $3,150.

Both companies are experienced. Graney has overseen rehabilitation of 800 homes and is currently working with eight municipalities, while Waltz has done 200 homes and is working with five towns.

The proposed schedule of tasks greatly differs between the companies. Graney said it would take six weeks to prepare a procedures manual covering all facets of the program, while Waltz said he could do it in two.

Waltz said it would take 30 days to screen an applicant, while Graney claimed to be able to do it in one.

The commission proposed a scoring system for comparing the proposals, but Conti added that the commission does not want to do it alone.

"We like to work with the governing body to grade the proposal," he said.

Council recessed the meeting to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, and could award a contract then.

Under the program, homeowners who meet low- and moderate-income guidelines and are current on taxes and utilities will be eligible for deferred loans for such code-related repairs and replacements as windows, furnaces, electrical wiring and plumbing.

jpinchot@sharon-herald.com