The Preston City Council voted to authorize the mayor to sign a scope-of-work agreement with Keller & Associates for engineering assistance on a children’s pedestrian safety grant, contingent on the firm replacing an indemnity clause that originally required the city to indemnify the consultant.

The vote, taken during the council meeting, followed council and staff review of the contract language. City Attorney Lyle told the council that Keller & Associates said it uses a different indemnity clause with other cities and would provide a substituted clause removing the city indemnity requirement. Council members approved the mayor’s signature contingent upon the attorney’s review and acceptance of that substitution.

The engineering scope relates to a grant-funded project to review and design curb ramps and other Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility improvements. Council and staff discussed a map included in the packet showing roughly 80 curb ramps proposed for sidewalks in public areas, notably along Second West. Council members and staff described the work as ADA-related upgrades to sidewalks, curb cutouts and other features intended to improve accessibility for residents using wheelchairs, walkers and other mobility devices.

“We’ve put in quite a few over the last few years and I love it,” one council member said, describing ADA curb cutouts as “safer” and important to mobility. Another council member asked where the ramps would be installed; staff said the map shows locations along public sidewalks and that the project is intended to address trip hazards and missing curb ramps identified by residents.

The motion to approve the mayor’s signature was explicitly made contingent on receiving the revised indemnity language and the city attorney’s sign-off. The council’s approval included direction that the attorney review the substituted clause and that the mayor sign only after that review.

No exact project start date was provided at the meeting; staff said the contract had not yet been bid and scheduling was not specified.

The council did not vote on project design specifics at the meeting; the action authorized staff to finalize the contract language and proceed with the grant’s engineering scope once the indemnity clause is corrected.

The contract approval does not commit the city to construction funding; it authorizes the city to execute the engineering scope for the grant project pending the attorney’s approval of the indemnity revision.

What’s next: Staff said Keller & Associates will submit the revised contract with the substituted indemnity clause. The city attorney will review that version and, if acceptable, the mayor will sign the agreement so the engineering work under the grant can proceed.