The Orting City Council voted Sept. 24 to amend the city’s 2025 budget to cover additional engineering work performed by Parametrics related to recent shaft anomalies and to add a term‑limited construction inspector position. The ordinance adopted (abbrev. AB 25‑86 / Ord. No. 2025‑1151 in meeting documents) also eliminated a currently vacant maintenance worker position; staff presented that change as partially offsetting the new position’s cost.

According to staff materials read at the meeting, the requested budget increase included $247,280.98 to reimburse Parametrics for work on anomalies encountered during bridge/shaft construction. Staff said Parametrics’ work was performed under the city’s contract and that staff lacked authority to exceed the authorized contract amount without council approval; staff recommended the city approve the amendment and then pursue any cost‑sharing with Quigg Brothers outside the contract if appropriate.

The ordinance also adds a construction inspector post limited to a two‑year term to help with active construction oversight. Staff told the council they would eliminate a vacant maintenance worker position (salary and benefits ~ $98,000) to partially offset the inspector costs; the net increase to the budget from those staffing changes was described in staff materials as approximately $39,000.

Council member Chris Moore opposed the amendment, saying he was troubled by contract language that, in his view, described “known conditions” and therefore signaled the contractor had acknowledged foreseeable issues. Other council members, including Council Member Hogan, said the work had already been performed and the city therefore needed to pay Parametrics so the project could proceed.

On a recorded vote the ordinance passed with a majority; the staff memo attached to the ordinance instructed staff to explore any potential cost‑sharing arrangements with Quigg Brothers through the Public Works Committee. Council also approved, in a separate recorded action, a related amendment to Parametrics’ construction management contract (AB 25‑32). The contract amendment vote was recorded separately during the meeting.