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Town Center Park construction timeline shifts; city staff say well drilling will precede electrical hookup
Summary
City staff told the Heath Park Board the Town Center Park project is moving forward but schedules shifted; drilling for a new well should finish before the park opens, electrical hookup will come later, and staff warned of monthly general-condition costs that may appear as change orders.
City staff updated the Heath Park Board on Sept. 15 about construction at Town Center Park, the new well project and related capital improvements. Staff said contractors are progressing underground work and that some aboveground elements are being pushed into early 2026 and 2027 timelines.
Staff said bids for Well Number 1 produced several proposals and that a contractor, listed in the packet as C Miller, was selected; contract documents were in progress. City staff told the board the well drilling should be completed before the park opens, but electrical work to make the well fully operational likely will be finished afterward.
The board heard that construction-manager-at-risk (CMAR) Hill & Wilkinson is overseeing the project and that a general-conditions accounting issue will result in additional monthly costs while teams remain on site. Staff said those general conditions currently amount to about $68,000 a month and will be returned to the general project budget rather than the utility-funded well portion. Staff said those charges should not exceed the project's contingency and predicted they would not cause the city to exceed the approved budget.
City staff also briefed the board on water-storage planning and timeline: design for an elevated storage tank was expected to be complete in March 2026, with construction estimated to take about a year; ground storage design was expected later, and staff said storage benefits likely will not be realized until 2027. Staff emphasized that drilling new wells is the primary way to increase supply, adding that “you can't store your way out of the problem” without added production.
Board members asked whether the additional monthly charges or schedule shifts would increase total project costs; staff said the city remains within approved contingencies. The board was also invited to visit the site and meet the CMAR; staff said the contractor maintains an open trailer office on site and welcomes board visits.
Ending: Staff recommended continued monitoring of change orders and contingency balances; board members said they would continue to raise scheduling and budget questions and that staff would return with updates as procurement documents and construction milestones progress.
