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Committee advances $251,007 change order for Yuba radio tower site amid questions about sole-source pricing
Summary
The committee approved forwarding a $251,007 change order for retaining wall and shelter foundation work at the Yuba radio tower site to the full county board, but several supervisors asked for a breakdown and questioned why the work was not competitively bid.
The Richland County Executive & Finance Committee voted to send a proposed $251,007 change order for construction work at the Yuba radio tower site to the full county board after project staff explained the cost and supervisors raised questions about the pricing process and contingency use.
County project manager Mike Day told the committee the contractor had to change the site after the original landowner deal fell through and that the new location required an extensive retaining wall and a poured foundation wall for the shelter. Day said that work, together with footing and other site-specific items, accounts for the $251,007 change order and that the expense will largely deplete the civil contingency and draw from radio contingency funds while remaining within the project budget.
Supervisors pressed for more detail. Supervisor Carroll asked how the wall price was determined; Day said the county’s civil contractor obtained a design from the wall vendor and the proposal was compared to costs on similar projects. Supervisors also asked why the work did not have a separate competitive bid and whether the grounding/bonding add-on could have been included in the original tower contract.
Several members asked that staff provide an itemized breakdown of the retaining wall, shelter foundation and grounding costs before the full county board acts. Project staff said the current contractor—already under contract for the site work—had provided the change proposal and that opening a broader bidding process could delay the schedule. Committee members said schedule continuity mattered but requested the additional documentation.
A motion to forward the change order to the full county board passed by voice vote; committee members said they expected staff to provide the requested breakdown and vendor documentation prior to the county board meeting.
The committee also noted the revised schedule for tower activation remains targeted for Dec. 15; antenna work had recently started, staff said.
