The Saratoga County Public Works Committee on July 1 agreed to forward to the county Finance Committee a proposed $80,000 amendment to CHA Consulting Inc.'s contract to design and provide construction administration for the rehabilitation of the CR 91 (Grooms Road) culvert over a tributary to the Colony Reservoir in the town of Quicken Park.

County staff told the committee that Department of Environmental Conservation requirements expanded the project's scope, turning what had been a smaller culvert project into a broader rehabilitation. Staff said the state Department of Transportation indicated it would fund approximately $1,500,000 of construction costs if the county agreed to pay the $80,000 engineering amendment. County administration signaled support for forwarding the request to Finance.

Committee members discussed the item briefly; Supervisor Grasso recused himself from discussion and any vote on the item. Rather than taking a formal committee vote on the contract amendment itself, members agreed to forward the proposed contract amendment and the related budget change to the full Finance Committee for further consideration. The committee took the earlier procedural action to approve minutes from its May 6 meeting by voice vote.

No construction contract was approved at the Public Works Committee meeting. Further action, including any formal budget amendment or contract approval, will be subject to Finance Committee review and subsequent approvals as required by county procedures and any applicable state requirements.

Details noted in the meeting: the engineering amendment amount discussed was $80,000; DOT construction funding was described as approximately $1,500,000; the scope increase was attributed to DEC requirements; the project affects the CR 91 (Grooms Road) culvert over a tributary to the Colony Reservoir in the town of Quicken Park.