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Board hires third‑party project manager for Perser‑Hulsey Park, approves not‑to‑exceed allowance
Summary
The board authorized Story PM to provide project management services for Perser‑Hulsey Park under a proposed $235,950 not‑to‑exceed allowance (about $7,865 per month over a conservative 30‑month schedule); commissioners requested the town ask whether Story will accept the work as an allowance billed by hours to control costs.
The board approved engaging Story PM to act as third‑party project manager for Perser‑Hulsey Park on April 28 and set a not‑to‑exceed allowance of approximately $235,950 based on an estimated 30‑month schedule.
Parks staff presented the request, citing project complexity and the benefits of a dedicated construction‑management resource. Corey King, Parks and Recreation and Cultural Resource Director, said Story PM led the town’s Fire Station 3 project and brought contract‑management expertise that saved time and identified cost‑saving opportunities. Story’s scope covers procurement assistance, project scheduling and budgeting, construction oversight, value engineering, coordination with utilities and closeout tasks.
The proposed fee equates to about 2.4% of the estimated project budget, staff said — within common project management ranges (5–15% are typical depending on role). The board discussed procurement and whether Story’s prior work for the town required rebidding; staff committed to providing a procurement memo confirming compliance if requested. Commissioner John Urban asked that staff ask Story to treat the amount as an allowance billed against hourly time so the town only pays for hours worked rather than a fixed monthly draw. The board adopted a motion authorizing the contract and directed the manager to seek Story’s agreement to an allowance approach.
Why this matters: Perser‑Hulsey is a major parks project for Matthews. Third‑party project management is intended to protect the town from construction risk, identify savings and keep schedule and quality on track while freeing staff to manage other responsibilities.
Next steps: Staff will finalize the agreement, return any required procurement memo and begin the project‑team selection, public outreach and design phases.
