Orderville board seeks civil‑engineering bid for town park after survey shows tighter site constraints

The Orderville Town Board voted to request a bid from Sunrise Engineering for civil engineering services for the proposed town park project after a newly completed survey showed the parcel is smaller and steeper than earlier renderings indicated.

Town staff and volunteers presented two documents: a site plan showing proposed amenities and a recent boundary survey that tightened property lines, in particular removing previously assumed space near the American Legion building. Community volunteers and staff said the change significantly reduced the area for a second ball field and exposed substantial earthwork needs; excavation contractors who reviewed the site said they could not bid the dirt work confidently without engineered cut/fill quantities and slope stabilization requirements.

Riley (park volunteer/contractor) described the earthwork challenge, saying the hill removal and fill needed to create level fields could require moving tens of thousands of cubic yards of material and might raise six‑figure trucking and material costs. Board members noted that without engineered plans, bids for excavation are risky and contractors decline to bid the work.

A motion carried directing staff to approach Sunrise Engineering, the town’s engineering firm, and request a bid to produce civil engineering plans and quantity estimates. The board agreed the park’s $150,000 allocation could be used for the engineering contract; several members also said they would consider other engineering firms only if Sunrise could not deliver within the town’s required timeline. The board recorded the motion as approved by voice vote.

Board members stressed the engineer’s report should identify needed easements for utilities, confirm where fill material can be obtained, and provide a cut/fill balance so the board can evaluate phased construction and grant schedules.