UPDATE: Marion County commissioners approve seeking contractor for Brooks water system improvements

The Marion County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday unanimously approved seeking a construction executive to oversee wastewater and drinking water system upgrades in the county’s largest unincorporated community.

The county will solicit and contract with a construction manager to supervise the construction in the Brooks-Hopmere area. State and county contracting rules require that the board find there is a public benefit to using an alternative contracting method besides such steps as bidding.

Federal funding will…