Council refers construction contract change order after questions about overall increase

Council President Dickinson on July 7 asked staff to explain why a construction contract change order (agenda item 250759) showed an overall increase before the La Crosse Common Council referred the item for further review.

The referral matters because council members flagged a change order that increases project costs; by referring it the council delayed final approval and allowed staff more time to provide detail. Director Gallagher told the council the project was overseen and run by the parks and recreation department and that referring the item for a week would not jeopardize payment.

Council President Dickinson asked, “I just wondered if someone from staff could explain the differences in numbers as it's overall an increase.” Director Gallagher replied on the record that the project is managed by the parks and recreation department and that the council could refer the item without jeopardizing payment. Jared Greeno was noted as present during the discussion. Council President Dickinson moved to refer the item; Director Train seconded the motion. The council conducted a voice vote and the motion to refer passed.

There was no roll-call vote recorded in the transcript and no dollar amounts, contractor names, or specific line-item changes were presented during the discussion. No formal approval or adoption of the change order occurred; the council’s action was to refer the item for further review.

The exchange occurred during the council’s agenda item for the construction contract change order and concluded when the council voted to refer the matter for additional review. The transcript indicates the matter will return to a future meeting for further consideration, but no date or staff deliverables were specified in the record provided.

Direct quotes and attributions in this article come from the meeting transcript.