A San Benito construction company that won a half million dollars bid for a road improvement project has rejected the bid it won, saying it isn’t interested in working in Willacy County.

Cornett Construction Co. submitted the lowest bid at $ 597,107.25 for the project. The second lowest bid came at $ 697,511.50 from FJW Construction of McAllen and the third one for $730,740.75 from R&R Paving of San Benito.

But Kent Cornett, the company owner, said they turned the bid down because they got a letter stating the commissioners’s court was intending to give the bid to the lowest responsible bidder, R&R Paving.

“ It was insulting to us saying we were irresponsible,” he said. “We have never been treated like that before.”

Cornett said they have been in business since 1956.

“ It’s not worth it to me,” he said. “ We don’t want the job because we don’t know how they are going to treat us.”

Cornett said that when a county engineer said they werer going to award the bid to somebody else without giving a reason, they lost interest in the project.

“ I am not mad at anybody,” he said. “ But I am not used to being treated like this. It was insulting.”

County Judge John F. Gonzales Jr. said he is looking out for the best interests of the county.

“I am going to sit down with the people who submitted the lowest bid,” he said. “ We want a company that is going to do the job, not a company that is going to cut corners.”

Bobby Whatley, executive president with FJW, said they were notified about Cornett’s decision and was asked if they are still interested in doing the job.

“ We certainly are,” he said. “ We are planning to attend the next commissioners’ court meeting.”