Council authorizes $310,650 amendment for LEED services on Community Health and Wellness Center

Bloomington City Council on Monday approved a first amendment to the design services agreement with Hammel, Green and Abrahamson (HGA) to cover LEED sustainability certification registration and review fees for the city’s Community Health and Wellness Center.

Council authorized an added amount of $310,650, increasing the contract not‑to‑exceed amount to $5,684,650. The vote on the consent item carried 5–2, with two council members recorded as opposing.

Council Member Hutter introduced the amendment language and said the motion would authorize the mayor and interim city manager to execute the first amendment to the HGA services agreement. Several council members offered brief remarks supporting rigorous third‑party review and certification. Council Member D'Alessandro said there is value in recognized certifications and likened professional verification to other trusted credentials: “I care, for example, that somebody has, I don't know, an MD when they tell me what my health status is,” he said, arguing for the rigor certifications signal.

Council Member Nelson reiterated his prior opposition to paying for the certification fee itself; he said he supports sustainability initiatives but not the additional certification cost. After discussion, the council approved the amendment; staff will proceed with contract execution and incorporate the certification work into the project schedule and budget tracking.

The action appears on the consent calendar as item 3.15; follow‑up will be administrative contract execution and budget monitoring as the design proceeds.