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Payson council affirms two contracts for multimillion-dollar road project; some members seek review
Summary
On April 9 the Town of Payson Common Council confirmed that it approved two contracts connected to a major roadway improvement project — a roughly $6.6 million construction contract and a project/construction management contract — and discussed whether the council should revisit details after public confusion about scope and funding.
The Town of Payson Common Council on April 9 confirmed that two contracts for a major roadway improvement project were approved and debated whether the council should revisit the matter.
Town staff told the council the awards included a construction contract for $6,600,000 and a separate contract for project and construction management. "The motion on there was to approve both contracts. And the motion carried 6 to 1 — the council member Bell voting no," staff said during the meeting.
Council members spent more than an hour clarifying what the earlier vote covered and whether the current council can change parts of the project approved by the previous council. Councilman Farris said he wanted to correct what he called public misinformation about the March action and asked that the record reflect the vote and the contracts actually approved. "I just wanted to publicly make that clear," Farris said.
Questions centered on whether water-main work was included in the scope that passed and on the project's funding mix. A council member asked whether $1,200,000 was being taken from the enterprise (water) fund; staff said the project is paid through a combination of grant money, enterprise fund money for water improvements, and general-fund dollars to augment the project.
Staff also told the council they do not believe the construction contracts have yet been executed. "I don't believe that the contracts for this portion of the project have been signed yet or executed," a staff member said, adding that canceling the contractor's work could have implications for other pavement preservation projects the contractor is serving on.
Several council members said they understand the urgency to fix roads and expect the original vote would hold if it were reconsidered, but at least two members asked to place a reconsideration request on a future agenda so the council can review the contracts and attachments in full. Staff said the council may schedule a future agenda item to revisit the matter and gather the requested contract documents.
The council discussed grant deadlines and the risk of portions of the project not being reimbursed if schedules slip. Staff warned that ADOT deadlines and grant time frames had already required previous extensions.
Ending
Council members agreed to approve the meeting minutes for March 26 at the April 9 session, and two members requested the specific contracts and attachments be placed on a future agenda for review. No new construction awards were executed on the dais during the April 9 meeting; staff indicated contracts still required execution off-line.
