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Newton County approves SPLOST contract amendments and closeouts for multiple capital projects
Summary
The board approved contract amendments and closeout reports for several SPLOST 2023 projects, including Nelson Heights renovations and the Senior Services Enrichment Center; staff said each amendment remains within the overall project budgets and will result in modest savings against allocated SPLOST funds.
The Newton County Board of Commissioners approved a series of contract amendments and closeout updates tied to SPLOST 2023 projects at its Nov. 4 meeting, accepting amendments with Sunbelt Builders that staff said are within the overall project budgets.
Jeff Prine, project manager with Ascension program management, presented closeout and amendment requests for five contracted projects. For Nelson Heights (item 15) the board approved an amendment of roughly $83,113 to Sunbelt’s contract; Prine said the amount reflected “buying back” scope omitted from the original guaranteed maximum price (GMP), including stormwater work required by the City of Covington, ADA pedestrian connections, some window replacements and roofing work. Prine said the project still projects a savings of approximately $1,215 if remaining furniture budgets are used as planned.
For the senior services enrichment center (item 16), the board approved an amendment of $120,949 to add previously omitted scope such as a rear pavilion, ceiling and acoustical work, FRP protective wall coating in the kitchen and select millwork. Prine said the overall project budget for the senior project is $4,355,000 and that, after the amendment and pending furniture and other buy-backs, staff projects the project will finish under that budget by approximately $144,695.
Items 17 and 18 — administrative building renovations/centralized storage and the R.L. Cousins Community Center — received amendments of $239,239.25 and $98,169 respectively; Prine reported small projected savings on each project after the amendments. Commissioners raised questions about reporting and the number of change orders; several asked staff to improve transparency on change-order reporting and to present contingencies and buy-back decisions earlier in the process.
Commissioner Edwards moved approval of the amendments and the board approved the amendments by voice vote. Several commissioners thanked staff and contractors for work that will bring the facilities into service this year; project closeout timing was described as imminent, with substantial completion reported for some projects before the end of the year.
