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Council approves $28,000 stormwater concept contract for Page Park; later approves $4,000 Greensweep engineering invoice amid change-order dispute
Summary
Council authorized Clark Azar & Associates for a $28,000 Page Park stormwater concept plan after discussion of DPS requirements and change-order protections; in separate debate the council approved a $4,000 Greensweep invoice (inv. 37788) for engineering drawings after members urged clearer contract/change‑order procedures.
The Friendship Heights Village Council authorized a stormwater‑management concept contract for Page Park with Clark Azar & Associates after the village manager reported Montgomery County DPS requires a stormwater plan because the project disturbs more than 5,000 square feet.
"This is because the area of disturbed soil related to the project exceeds 5,000 square feet on the site, which is the threshold that triggers the requirement to do a stormwater management plan," Village Manager Julian Mansfield told the council. The village received eight proposals and recommended Clark Azar — a firm with Montgomery County experience — on the basis of cost and local references. The recommended contract amount is $28,000.
Council members supported the selection but pressed staff to ensure the contract includes clear protections: explicit references to Montgomery County regulations used, sufficient rounds of review, e‑plan submission through DPS systems, defined timelines, project‑management responsibilities, and provisions governing DPS‑driven scope changes and related change orders.
Separately, the council debated whether to pay a $4,000 engineering invoice (invoice 37788) Greensweep submitted for signed-and-sealed drawings for railings and pergola work. Council members raised three concerns: the contract addendum requires prior agreement on change orders; a Greensweep landscaping invoice had earlier included park charges; and one of the engineers who produced initial drawings had been replaced during the final handrail work.
Council member Sault argued the addendum made the contractor responsible for compliance costs and that the village was not required to pay unapproved change orders. Council member Schaefer and others expressed concern about piecemeal acceptance of multiple change‑order invoices and asked for a coordinated parks-and-grounds review of all pending claims. Village Manager Mansfield said most of the signed-and-sealed work for pergola and railings was produced by the first engineer and that Greensweep sought additional sign-off to finalize drawings.
After discussion and a failed motion to table the invoice pending further committee review, the council voted to approve payment of invoice 37788 for $4,000. Several council members urged staff and the parks-and-grounds committee to develop clearer procedures and contract language for submitting and approving change orders and for distinguishing landscaping billing from contract-specific change orders.
The Clark Azar contract and the Greensweep invoice are both recorded in council minutes; the village manager was authorized to work with parks-and-grounds members and the village attorney to finalize contract terms for stormwater work.
