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Mercer County approves engineer-recommended payment for chip-seal project; retainage held until warranty review
Summary
County commissioners approved the engineer-recommended pay estimate for a county chip-seal project after an update from road staff that the project is essentially complete; 10% retainage and liquidated-damages deductions will be held pending a warranty inspection in spring.
Mercer County commissioners voted to approve the engineer-recommended pay estimate for a county chip-seal project, county staff said the payment covers completed work through mid-September while a warranty period and final checks remain pending.
At a meeting where county road staff answered commissioners’ questions, engineering staff said “the last pay application you have in front of you was for the $518,315,” and that the contract amount was listed as $824,000, though the final contract figure could be slightly higher based on measured quantities. Jordan Nels, introduced in the meeting as the transportation group leader, summarized project status and quality control steps, including a warranty/test-strip review next spring. “We withhold 10% retainage on the contract,” he said, explaining the retainage will be held until a May review of the test strip and any necessary corrections.
Why this matters: the payment moves a substantial invoice through the county’s accounts while preserving leverage to require corrections. Commissioners pressed staff on washboarding and striping issues reported by residents and on how liquidated damages are applied. Staff explained liquidated damages are deducted from payments and that, in this case, total days of assessed liquidated damages had grown to 16 days and those deductions were not yet fully reflected in the pay estimate presented.
The board discussed process steps: how pay estimates are reviewed before they reach commissioners, what items are certified on the pay spreadsheet, and the timing for prompt payment once questions are resolved. Following the discussion, a commissioner moved to approve the payment recommended by the engineer; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.
What’s next: county staff will continue to hold the 10% retainage and monitor the warranty period; they will present any corrective work or final adjustments to the commissioners after the spring warranty inspection or sooner if deficiencies persist.
