Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Works Facility topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Village approves $200,000 amendment to architect contract for new public works facility
Summary
The Northrop Village Board approved an amendment to Williams Architect’s professional services agreement adding a not-to-exceed $200,000 for remaining work on the new public works facility; staff said the change reflects a larger project scope and is expected to cost less overall than a traditional percentage-based contract.
The Northrop Village Board on Aug. 4 approved an amendment to the professional services contract with Williams Architect that adds a not-to-exceed $200,000 payment to complete design and closeout tasks for the village’s new public works facility. The board approved the amendment after a staff presentation and discussion of project scope and contingency.
City staff said the village originally hired Williams Architect in January 2021 under an hourly, phased contract with an original compensation amount of $750,000. Brian, a staff member presenting the item, told the board the project’s scope changed from an addition to an entirely new facility — increasing the building cost from an earlier estimate of $9 million–$12 million to roughly $18 million — and the original architect allowance has been exhausted. "Williams is asking for an amendment to the original contract of a do not exceed number of $200,000," Brian said. Staff recommended approval.
The amendment is for architect fees only and would be paid from the village’s capital fund, staff said. Board members asked whether the construction contract and project contingency remained on track; staff answered that construction is under a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) arrangement and that the construction contingency was set at 5 percent of the construction budget — roughly $850,000 — of which about half remains unspent. Staff added that, by contracting the architect on an hourly/phased basis rather than a percentage of building cost, the village expects to save money overall compared with a standard percentage-based architect contract.
Discussion focused on whether the additional architect fee would push the project over budget and how much of the contingency remained. Brian said the village had expended about $430,000 of the construction contingency so far and had already completed major, high‑risk underground work. He reiterated that the architect contract included language requiring the village to return to the board once the original allowance was used.
A motion to approve the amendment carried; the board authorized the addendum not to exceed $200,000. The board record shows the motion was seconded and approved by voice roll call from trustees present.
The amendment covers only additional architect fees; it does not change the GMP for construction or the construction manager contract. The village will return to the board if further increases to professional services are needed.
Details provided at the meeting indicated the contract originated in January 2021, the original architect compensation was $750,000, the new requested not-to-exceed amount is $200,000, and the current project construction cost estimate is approximately $18,000,000.
