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Council rejects emergency request but approves scope change and fee recalculation for Safety Services Complex
Summary
Councilors voted down the administration's emergency designation for a scope‑change invoice from PS Architecture LLC but later approved the ordinance authorizing the scope change and updated architect fee tied to increased construction cost percentages.
The Cortland City Council on Monday denied an emergency designation for Ordinance O-03-25, which would authorize a scope change and increased payment to PS Architecture LLC for professional design services on the City of Cortland Safety Services Complex. After extended discussion the council approved the ordinance on its first reading.
A council member raised detailed objections to the emergency request and the scope‑change package, urging colleagues to review the 19‑page Infiniti information packet line by line before allowing contingency items to drive up project cost. The speaker said several unspecified items in the packet appeared open‑ended and could increase the construction budget, which in turn would raise the architecture fee because the architect's contract recalculates the fee as a percentage of construction cost (7 percent).
City staff described the fee recalculation as a result of higher construction cost estimates; the recalculated increase was referenced in the meeting as about $122,960 (figure presented by staff). Councilors asked whether an immediate emergency vote was necessary or whether the matter could wait two weeks for a second reading; staff noted the city has an existing purchase order and that monthly schedule bills are processed but did not identify a contract deadline that would be jeopardized by delaying the emergency designation.
Council voted the emergency down by roll call (recorded no votes on the emergency). Council then approved the ordinance on its first reading by roll call later in the same meeting.
Votes at the meeting produced a recorded failure of the emergency designation and a subsequent approval of the ordinance authorizing the scope change and associated fee adjustment.
