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Council approves change order for Edmonds Newstart Center; requires future large change orders return to council
Summary
The council authorized a change order to the Edmonds Newstart Center construction contract that raises the contract by $547,000; council adopted an amendment limiting the executive’s standing authority for additional change orders and asked staff for regular reporting on change orders.
Snohomish County Council on Feb. 26 authorized a change order to the construction contract for the Edmonds Newstart Center and approved updated oversight for future change orders.
Deb Bell, council staff, summarized Motion 25-079, saying the original construction contract for the Edmonds Newstart Center with Lincoln Construction Incorporated had a base bid of $2,474,000. The proposed change order (Change Order 01) would add $547,000, increasing the contract total to $3,021,000 (sales tax not included). The motion would also have authorized the county executive to approve additional future change orders so long as sufficient appropriation authority exists and total future contract work did not exceed $667,641 (described in staff materials as 20% of the original contract plus Change Order 1).
Council Member Lowe proposed an amendment to remove the standing authority for the additional $667,641 so that individual large change orders would return to council for approval. Lowe said the amendment was intended to improve transparency so "the public knows where these funds are going." Supporters and other council members expressed concern that requiring every single change order to come before council could introduce delays and additional costs; they suggested regular written updates instead of obligating council to approve routine small change orders.
Ken Klein of the executive’s office told the council the executive’s office would provide periodic reports listing each change order and that the office would work with the county attorney and clerks to clarify the code language to match the council’s intent that individual change orders above $150,000 come to council rather than interpreting the earlier language as an aggregate threshold.
The council approved Amendment Sheet 1 (the Lowe amendment) by roll call (amendment recorded as passing 3–1 in the public record) and then adopted the amended motion to authorize Change Order 01. The staff report and council discussion made clear the project’s funding comes from the 2024 Housing and Behavioral Health capital investment plan (referenced in prior council action, motion 24-417).
Why it matters: The Edmonds Newstart Center project is funded through the county’s housing and behavioral health capital plan; change orders and oversight determine whether project budgets and schedules will be met. Council members emphasized transparency for significant contract increases while also seeking to avoid procedural delays for routine small changes.
Council action: Amendment Sheet 1 (to limit standing executive authority on future change orders) passed 3–1; amended Motion 25-079 (authorize Change Order 01 for $547,000) passed. Staff committed to produce periodic reports and to revise code language to reflect the council’s intent that only single change orders above $150,000 require council approval.
