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Vernon Hills approves $630,000 contract to expand parking at athletic complex despite budget gap
Summary
Trustees voted to award a $630,000 paving contract for the Vernon Hills Athletic Complex parking expansion, accepting a $280,000 gap versus the $350,000 budget and citing under-runs elsewhere in the capital program as the primary funding source. The board weighed alternatives (redesign, shuttle service, phased build) before approving the contract.
The Vernon Hills Village Board on July 9 approved an ordinance awarding the Vernon Hills Athletic Complex (VHAC) parking expansion contract to the low bidder (identified in staff materials as "Chicago land paving contractors") for $630,000, a figure substantially higher than the village's original budget of $350,000.
Staff told trustees that soil conditions, certain utility conflicts (ComEd), and unit-price contract elements drove costs above the earlier engineer estimate (described as "a little over $500,000"). The design was adjusted to avoid costly utility relocations by breaking the expansion into two extensions. Staff presented three options: (1) award the contract as bid and absorb the budget gap via a budget amendment or reallocating capital under-runs, (2) redesign and rebid the work to reduce scope, or (3) postpone or cancel the project.
Trustees discussed frequency of peak parking demand, the possibility of shuttle service for busy events, and the risk of material-price escalation. Staff noted two capital projects on the omnibus (Centennial Crossing retaining wall and Port Clinton project) that had come in $200,000 under budget and suggested those savings could cover most of the shortfall. After discussion, a motion to approve option 1 (award as bid) passed by roll call with unanimous 'aye' votes.
What passed: the ordinance awarding the VHAC parking expansion contract at $630,000. Staff said construction would allow the new parking to be available in time for the busy spring sport season; trustees asked staff to check contract language for material-cost change provisions and to report back on potential shuttle or revenue-sharing arrangements with tournament operators.
Speakers quoted in this article spoke during the village board regular session on July 9; details reflect the bid table and Q&A presented in staff materials.
