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Council rejects alternative procurement approach for water treatment plant, urges tight budget cap
Summary
After reviewing an alternative procurement model that would engage a general contractor early, council and staff agreed that the approach would not speed the current water‑treatment‑plant project. The mayor urged a utilitarian design and suggested aiming for a lower budget target (around $14 million) rather than a $19 million initial estimate.
Council members reported on a virtual meeting with engineering and legal advisers (including Kennedy & Graven) about procurement options for the city’s water treatment plant. The group considered an alternative delivery model that involves hiring a general contractor early to advise on design and subcontractor pricing, but participants concluded that because the city is already partway through design and RFP preparation, the early‑contractor model would not shorten the schedule or provide enough benefit for this project.
Mayor Lisa Whalen urged setting a firm budget target and keeping the project utilitarian to limit cost growth. She said the $19 million ‘‘sticker‑shock’’ number reflects an early design estimate with a 30 percent contingency and that as design advances contingency typically drops; she suggested the council aim for a figure closer to $14–15 million and avoid unnecessary ‘‘bells and whistles.’’
Council asked staff to provide a clear budget limit to engineers and to bring procurement and phased‑funding options back to council. Staff indicated they will continue with the current design/RFP path and present clearer cost estimates as design reaches later milestones.
