Councilman Baker moved to remove a parks‑department change order involving CMT from the consent agenda, citing concern that the change order exceeded the original contract and that construction‑inspection services could be procured competitively. The chair removed the item and the remaining consent agenda was approved.

During discussion of the removed item, airport staff and the county’s airport manager explained that federal and state grant requirements (FAA and MoDOT) impose intensive construction‑observation obligations that raise the cost of construction administration. Staff said CMT had been previously selected as engineer‑on‑record through the airport procurement process and that construction‑administration costs for FAA‑funded projects typically include daily observation, documentation and compliance work.

Councilman Baker proposed seeking additional proposals to confirm competitiveness; airport staff and other council members said the procurement had already solicited multiple firms and that FAA/state oversight often favors continuity with the design engineer. After a motion to table failed for lack of a second, the council voted to approve the contract and associated construction‑administration fees; council members noted the county’s fiscal exposure is limited to its roughly 10% share of a 90/10 grant split with FAA/MoDOT.

The approved construction‑administration costs were described by staff as consistent with prior FAA projects and the county’s local share was presented as limited to the grant’s cost‑share portion.

Outcome: the CMT construction‑administration change order was removed from consent, discussed, and then approved following council votes.