During the April 29 meeting the Osceola County Board of Supervisors reviewed pay applications for a jail remodel and questioned why architect fees shown on pay applications increased after the board approved the construction contract.

A board member said February pay applications showed the architect fee structure and maximum contract amounts at previously expected levels, but March pay applications reflected higher architect fees tied to the accepted bid. The board said the change was not highlighted when the contract was considered and approved earlier.

County staff noted the architect had been present and spoke with board members earlier; the architect (identified in the transcript as John) was available by phone for the meeting. Board members said they had discussed the matter with the architect and the county’s construction manager and that the higher architect fees appear to reflect a percentage calculated from the higher bid amount.

One supervisor said the issue did not directly change the current pay application but asked for better prior communication when bid acceptance would increase design‑phase fees. “We had nearly a month and a half’s worth of discussion whether to even accept the contract, and I don’t recall it ever being pointed out to us that…the architect fees are gonna go up if we accept the higher bid amount,” the supervisor said.

The board did not take formal action at the meeting on the pay applications. Supervisors requested clearer documentation and said staff should ensure architects and consultants call out fee changes tied to contract amounts before the board votes on contractor acceptance.

What’s next: County staff and the architect will follow up with the board to clarify why architect fees rose, confirm the contractual basis for the percentage calculation, and provide any corrected pay‑application documentation at a future meeting.