City officials briefed the council on an outstanding architectural change‑order for the Bradenton Police Department headquarters on May 28 and reported a negotiated reduction after months of discussions.

Staff said the original architectural services agreement had been structured around an $18 million, ~30,000‑square‑foot facility. Project programming and site changes increased the facility size and scope (including a parking garage), and construction cost estimates rose during a period of industry price escalation.

Under the American Institute of Architects contract, the architect’s fee is a percentage of total construction cost. The architect initially asserted a change‑order claim of about $1.28 million; after meetings and staff review the firm agreed to reduce the requested amount to approximately $934,000 and, following further discussions and deductions, to roughly $889,000. City staff engaged a construction‑litigation attorney to assess options but said that arbitration would likely be costly and that many of the architect’s claims were contractually supportable because the project scope had grown.

Council members asked about lessons for future projects, oversight and value. City administration said staff would reform selection, contracting and budget control practices for future major capital projects and noted the site required additional work (utility relocations, brownfield protections, and a garage) that contributed to the increase. Staff described the completed reductions as a pragmatic resolution that allowed construction to proceed.