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Supervisors Approve $109,000 Change Order After Contractor Finds Unstable Base on Lemmy Project
Summary
Engineers told the board that rotten soil under planned culvert locations required concrete slab and rock to stabilize; board approved a $109,000 change order and offset it by cutting aesthetic manhole work to remain within overall budget.
The Adams County Board of Supervisors voted to approve a change order for the Lemmy levee/road project after the contractor encountered unstable material at the culvert foundations that engineers said could not support the box culverts as originally specified.
Engineer and project staff reported that when crews exposed the work area, the base material was ‘‘rotten’’ and would not provide the stability needed for the culvert installations. To avoid future failures, the county's contractor proposed placing six inches of crushed rock and a poured concrete slab beneath the culverts, with rebar reinforcement. Project staff said the change order covers roughly 94 cubic yards of concrete at current prices and associated rebar — a line‑item cost the engineer compared with regional bids and described as commercially reasonable.
To offset the added cost, staff removed about $180,000 of non‑functional aesthetic work (backfill/covering of manholes) from the contract scope. After those cuts, supervisors said the project remains within the engineer's overall available budget and the recommended change order was necessary to ensure long‑term performance.
Board action: Supervisor Gaines moved the change order; the motion was seconded and the board approved the change order (motion carried). The board asked staff to continue strict oversight and to confirm the contractor's pricing against current regional unit costs.
Why it matters: The change order was presented as corrective work to avoid future road and levee failures around culverts and the railroad spur. Supervisors emphasized the need to prevent short‑term savings that would create long‑term maintenance liabilities.
Ending: County staff said they would document the change and the offsetting scope reductions, continue inspection and report back if further unforeseen conditions arise. The contractor said the additional work is commercially reasonable and necessary to stabilize the road and rail approaches.
