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Collegedale approves $35,000 engineering contract to relocate airport maintenance building amid debate over cost
Summary
The commission approved a $35,000 proposal from Austin Engineering for civil/site development to relocate the airport maintenance building as part of the Sky Boss project. Commissioners raised concerns about the engineering cost and project scope; the vote passed 3-2.
The Collegedale City Commission approved a $35,000 proposal from Austin Engineering for civil and site-development engineering to relocate the airport maintenance building. The relocation is part of the Sky Boss project, which plans to occupy the site where the current maintenance building now sits. The motion passed 3-2 on a roll call.
City staff presented the proposal as the most cost-effective solution to move the maintenance building to a city-owned site identified at the corner of Appisson Pike and Best More. Staff said the package covers permitting, stormwater work and grading; staff noted the engineering figure does not include the concrete slab, driveway or the steel building itself.
Commissioners expressed surprise at the reported engineering fee. Staff and the city manager explained that permitting (including stormwater analysis and a retention pump tied to the building’s footprint) and current market pressures in the engineering industry are major cost drivers. Staff compared the scope to the Sky Boss engineering, which they said cost roughly $200,000.
Participants debated whether design work could be done in-house. City staff said existing staff and the part-time engineer do not have sufficient time to complete the design within project deadlines; the city said prior practice has been to outsource this work and that state law limits the bidding of engineering services to a qualifications-based selection rather than a price bid.
Cost estimates discussed in the meeting included a vendor quote of about $27,000 for a replacement steel building; staff said the total all-in project cost could reach roughly $100,000 after slab and site work. During the exchange there were inconsistent statements in the transcript about building size—staff said the planned building is “40 by 50,” while later another speaker referred to a “9,000 square foot” figure; the commission did not reconcile the discrepancy during the meeting.
On roll call, Commissioner Baker, Commissioner Johnson and Mayor Lloyd voted yes; Commissioner House and Vice Mayor Sadler voted no. Staff said the city will not place orders for the building materials until the commission approves the design and associated contracts.
