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Residents question sudden cost jump and October completion date for township sports complex
Summary
Residents asked why the township-run sports complex budget grew from about $5 million to more than $11 million and why an October completion date was required; officials said contractor delay claims and early design issues pushed the schedule and the administration will provide monthly project updates.
At the Feb. 24 meeting several residents asked why a township recreation project had increased substantially in cost and why work was scheduled to finish in October.
Larry Deutschman, a resident, said he was "very concerned about this recreation debacle," noting that "it going from $5,000,000 to 11 or $12,000,000" and asking why the town allowed the price jump and why an October deadline existed.
Councilman Richard Brescher and other officials answered that the contractor had requested additional days because of delays tied to early design and management problems, and that those added days pushed the contractor'provided completion date to October. Officials said the October date reflected the contractor'filed schedule after earlier delays, and they defended the need for enough time so the facility would be safe and usable; council members said the children who use the fields primarily need the facility in the fall season rather than immediately.
Council members said they have requested monthly project updates so the council can monitor schedule and expenditures and avoid similar overruns in future projects. "I've always advocated that council should be updated on a monthly basis to see that we're making the schedules and deadlines because we approve funding," Brescher said.
Why it matters: A near doubling of the anticipated price on a large municipal recreation project prompted public concern about procurement oversight, design management and transparency of contractor schedules and change orders.
What happens next: Officials said the administration will continue to provide project updates and that further questions about contractor performance and change orders may be discussed in later council sessions.
