The Fort Pierce City Commission on Oct. 13 approved an increase to a purchase order for home-rehabilitation work tied to a federal grant, after extended discussion about a late change order for painting and gutters.

Commissioner Anthony Johnson asked why the project required roughly $11,000 in additional change-order work for painting and gutters on a property at 317 North 20th Street, calling change orders an ongoing concern. “When I see the word change order, I get heartburn,” Johnson said during the meeting.

Danella Clark, grants division manager, said the initially posted quote was lower but a change order arrived after the contractor began work; staff pushed back and asked for revised vendor quotes. Clark said the contractor later used a lower-cost vendor and the total was reduced. Grants reporting specialist Kimberly Hinton added that painting had been omitted from the original scope as cosmetic but became necessary after doors and windows were replaced and the contractor had to tear into the house, and that gutters were either missed in the original scope or were damaged beyond repair.

The final corrective figure discussed on the record was a new total purchase order amount of $55,631; the commission approved the corrected amount on a voice roll call with Commissioners Shane Gaines, Anthony Johnson and Mayor Linda Hudson voting yes.

Why it matters: Commissioners said they want fewer post-award surprises and more robust vetting of bids and scopes before contracts are approved. Johnson and other commissioners asked staff to involve subject-matter experts such as public works and engineering earlier in the procurement process to reduce later change orders.

Funding and program details
- Program: The work is funded through a federal grant administered by the city’s grants division (specific grant program not named in the meeting). Staff emphasized the grant is federal funding, not general-tax operating dollars, but commissioners noted it is still taxpayer-supported grant funding.
- Contract: The vendor named in the agenda is Delahose Builders Inc. The agenda initially listed an increase from $46,898 to $58,198 (a change-order amount of $11,270). Staff reported a revised total of $55,631 after negotiating a lower subcontractor quote.
- Thresholds: Staff said the program can provide rehabilitation assistance for projects up to $100,000; the approved change order fell under that threshold.

Commission reaction and direction
Commissioners pressed staff to tighten pre-award review of contractor scopes and vendor selection. Commissioner Johnson asked that engineering and public works staff be consulted earlier for subject-matter expertise, and Mayor Hudson said the commission will require fuller explanations before approving future change orders and will not simply rubber-stamp them.

Action taken
The commission voted to approve the corrected purchase-order increase for the rehabilitation work at 317 North 20th Street with the revised total of $55,631. The motion was moved by Commissioner Anthony Johnson and seconded on the floor; the recorded roll call showed Commissioners Gaines and Johnson and Mayor Hudson voting yes.

Ending
Commissioners directed staff to return with improved procurement oversight and to ensure engineering and subject-matter experts review projects where scope changes are likely, while acknowledging that some change orders are unavoidable in rehabilitation work.

Sources and attribution
This article is based on staff remarks from Danella Clark and Kimberly Hinton and remarks from Commissioner Anthony Johnson, Commission discussion and the roll-call vote recorded during the Oct. 13 City Commission meeting.