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Fayetteville council approves $1.9 million addition to tennis center budget after debate
Summary
After a two-week delay request and public debate, Fayetteville City Council voted 6-3 to appropriate $1.9 million to complete work on the city's tennis center project and authorize a change order with M and E Contracting Inc.
Fayetteville City Council voted 6-3 on Feb. 10 to adopt a capital project ordinance amendment appropriating $1,900,000 for the tennis center project and to allow staff to execute a change order with M and E Contracting Inc.
The appropriation increases the project’s budget from approximately $6 million to nearly $8 million, according to remarks during the discussion. Councilmember Green moved to table the matter two weeks to give members more time to review detailed change-order information; that motion failed and the council later approved the appropriation.
The debate centered on transparency and fiscal oversight. Councilmember Green said she had not received the change-order breakdown in time and sought two more weeks to “do our fiduciary responsibility in reviewing the extent of what this $1,900,000 means.” She moved to table the item until the Feb. 24 meeting. Councilmember Green: “My motion is to table this matter and place it on the agenda for 02/24/2025.”
Councilmembers who opposed the delay said construction already had begun and that postponing the appropriation could push back completion of some project elements. Assistant City Manager and staff explained M and E Contracting had been authorized to begin work and was already on site. Staff said the additional funds come from leftover funds from other park bond projects, bond premium funding, and interest earnings in the parks-and-recreation bond fund rather than the city general fund balance.
City staff and staff witnesses said the contractor is performing building work and that the added funds would enable completion of elements started by a general contractor who had walked off the site. Staff projected the tennis center and related site work, including courts, lighting and pickleball provisions, could be complete by fall 2025 if the additional appropriation moved forward.
Councilmember Davis made the motion to adopt the capital project ordinance amendment 2025-43 to appropriate the $1,900,000 and execute the change order with M and E Contracting Inc.; Councilmember Thompson seconded. The motion passed 6 to 3.
Council members who expressed concern asked that all supporting documents provided tonight be included in the official council meeting materials for public record. Staff agreed to place the materials in the meeting record (the “CAM”) and to provide further detail before future votes on the project.
The council’s approval funds the contractor change order and keeps construction moving; staff said the change order covers work needed to finish the facility after the prior contractor left the project.
No amendments to the change order were recorded on the council floor. Staff said performance and timeline details would be available as the project proceeds.
