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Council approves engineering contract adjustments, James Farm closeout and 10-year agricultural spray leases
Summary
Sussex County Council approved a $20,000 change order to increase the materials allowance on the on-call stormwater maintenance contract, granted substantial completion and change order for the James Farm Ecological Preserve contract, and reauthorized two agricultural spray partner leases for 10 years with CPI-based increases.
Sussex County Council on June 24 approved multiple engineering items: a change order to the on-call stormwater maintenance contract to increase the materials allowance by $20,000, the closeout of the James Farm Ecological Preserve construction contract with a small increase and substantial-completion certification, and reauthorization of two agricultural spray-partner leases on county land for a 10-year term with CPI-based annual adjustments.
Mark Parker said work under the on-call stormwater maintenance contract ran short in the maintenance allowance category; council previously increased the allowance from $18,000 to $34,000 and Parker recommended a further $20,000 increase (change order 2) to bring the materials allowance to $54,000 and raise the overall contract amount to $338,000. Council approved the change order on a unanimous vote.
Patrick Brown, project engineer, presented the James Farm Ecological Preserve construction closeout. Staff recommended approval of change order 6 for contract C23-21 with an increase of $3,049.66 and granted substantial completion as of March 15, 2025; council approved the closeout and release of retainage in accordance with the contract documents.
County projects staff also presented lease reauthorizations for two agricultural spray partners (identified in the packet as H H Farm and M and M Farm). The reauthorizations provide a 10-year lease with a two-year rollover provision and annual fee adjustments based on the Philadelphia-area consumer price index; staff said the longer term and CPI-based adjustments provide partners with security to invest in improvements tied to disposal options (alternate outlets) permitted under the county’s wastewater arrangements. Council approved reauthorizations unanimously.
Motions to approve the stormwater change order, James Farm closeout and the leases were moved and seconded by council members and passed on unanimous recorded votes.
