City staff presents $2.22M change order for Hatchery Branch stormwater project; city funds exposure adjusted to about $907,856

City staff presented a change order for the Hatchery Branch Lower School Branch stormwater project that showed a contract overrun figure of $2,222,948.66 and recommended council authorize the mayor to execute the change order.

Leslie (staff) told council that the originally discussed scope had a smaller city contribution; after bids and scope extension across College Street (to Summit and Valley) the total additional city funds required were adjusted. Staff reported city funds exposure of $907,856 after accounting for a $100,000 MoDOT apportionment, and characterized the net local budget amendment as $807,856. Council members sought clarity on whether the higher figure reflected a reengineered expansion rather than simple cost inflation; staff said the work represented an expansion (including replacement of a bridge that staff said accounted for a substantial portion of the increase) and noted that earlier bids came in under estimate, allowing the city to extend project limits.

Council discussion emphasized public framing ("cost overrun" vs. "project expansion") and the long-term safety benefits of extending stormwater work and replacing a bridge to reduce future flood risk. Staff noted that the bridge was a major contributor to the additional cost and that the council had the option to delay bridge work and rely on MoDOT, but doing so could create a future bottleneck.

The transcript shows council discussion and a staff recommendation to approve the change order; a roll call was requested during the meeting record. The excerpt provided does not include a final vote result for Bill 2025-34 in the supplied transcript.