Council tables final payments and substantial‑completion items for Downtown Abbeville street project pending contract review

The Abbeville City Council on May 20, 2025, tabled several agenda items tied to the Downtown Abbeville Street improvement project — including change order No. 7, a partial payment estimate and the certificate of substantial completion — after council members asked staff to reconcile contract quantities and retainage figures.

Todd, the project engineer on the record at the meeting, explained that the change order represented an adjustment to contract quantities based on what was actually constructed and that one factor affecting the contract price was an earlier change to include sidewalks around the courthouse for which the police jury agreed to pay half. Council members said the adjusted contract price did not match their expectations on the agenda packet and asked for a more thorough review before final payment and acceptance.

The nut graf: to protect the city’s retainage and ensure contract accounting is correct, council voted to table the change order, partial-pay estimate No. 10 and the certificate of substantial completion until staff and the engineer complete an audit of quantities and the financial adjustments.

Council moved and carried motions to table change order No. 7 (which staff said reduced the contract by approximately $17,009.42), partial payment estimate No. 10 (the packet listed a figure described as roughly $79,004.00), and the certificate of substantial completion with punch list (and the related resolution to set the project as complete). Staff said they will reconvene with Kathy and Todd to verify the adjusted contract price, quantities and retainage and then bring the items back for council consideration.

Ending: The items remain tabled pending staff and engineer reconciliation; council emphasized the need for an audit to ensure final payments and retainage calculations are accurate before approval.