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Council approves Kids Quarters phase 2 contract despite higher-than-expected bid; administration seeks additional budget transfer
Summary
Council accepted a low bid for the Kids Quarters Phase 2 construction but heard that the winning bid exceeded earlier estimates because of turf price increases and an under‑estimate. Administration requested a budget transfer and added contingency to cover remaining phase 3 items and site furnishings.
Brecksville City Council committees on May 6 approved awarding the Kids Quarters improvement phase 2 construction contract to the low bidder and advanced a related budget amendment asking for additional funds to cover cost increases.
The Recreation Department presented the bid results and said the project came in higher than the city’s earlier estimate, largely because of higher turf prices and an estimating error. Purchasing Director Monica Barkowitz said the procurement followed the city’s public bidding process and that the selected contractor was the lowest and best bidder after review of sealed bids. "We followed our public bidding process ... we advertised in the Sun News, and we opened sealed bids on April 17," Barkowitz said.
Why it matters: the project is a multi‑phase park upgrade that the city has funded partially with grants and county contributions; the higher cost requires council approval for both the construction contract and an increase to the capital budget so later site‑furnishing work (phase 3) can proceed.
What council approved and the budget picture: council moved to accept the low bid for phase 2 (ordinance introduced and later passed by council under the ordinance accepting the bid of Bismed Landscaping Inc.). The administration reported the low bid and related contract amount at roughly $1,166,449.29 for the construction portion. Finance Director presented a separate budget amendment to add roughly a 5% contingency and estimated site‑furnishing costs that bring total project budgeting to approximately $1,370,000, and proposed a general‑fund transfer to cover a $207,000 increase to the project budget.
Discussion and next steps: council members pressed staff on whether line items in a unit‑price bid could be reduced to lower cost; Purchasing Director Monica Barkowitz and Service Director Joe Kickel said measurement and final payment are based on actual installed quantities and that some clerical bid errors can be corrected but substantial changes (quantity, quality, price, delivery) are constrained by Ohio public‑bidding rules. The administration said some phase 3 items (benches, signage, trash receptacles, concrete pads) remain optional and could be refined, and noted local groups had offered donation or sponsorship opportunities to offset costs.
Schedule and grants: staff said a tentative start date could be as soon as a month to six weeks after preconstruction scheduling; the city has a signed grant agreement through ODNR (as presented at the meeting) and expects a $50,000 contribution from Cuyahoga County. The administration said it will begin submitting reimbursement requests to the grantors after paying invoices for equipment.
Outcome: committees recommended council approval of the bid award and the related budget amendment and transfer; council took later legislative action to accept the bid (ordinance introduced and subsequently passed).
