Irondale approves Civic Center change orders and grants mayor authority to expedite further changes up to $1 million

The Irondale City Council approved two change orders on Dec. 16 that increase the Civic Center renovation cost and also authorized a process to let the mayor approve additional change orders up to an aggregate $1,000,000 with written approval from two council members.

Mayor James D. Stewart Jr. explained the change orders stemmed from removing the facility’s dome and discovering extensive roof damage that required replacing the entire roof rather than the 40% originally projected. The council recorded change order #2 for $85,339.13 and change order #3 for $193,358.82, bringing the reported total project cost to $20,185,078.34.

To keep the project on schedule, the council approved Resolution 2025 R-246 delegating authority to the mayor to approve change orders as they arise — subject to verification by the architect and project manager and requiring written approval from two council members — with the understanding that all delegated change orders will be ratified later by the full council. Mayor Stewart stressed he would not use the delegation to avoid council oversight and that the changes must be brought back for ratification.

Council members expressed understanding that unforeseen conditions can surface during renovation work and noted the project was nearly gutted, reducing the likelihood of further undisclosed surprises. The delegation authorizes an administrative path to prevent idle contractor time and additional costs from construction delays.

Next steps include staff posting change order documentation for council review and bringing ratifications to a subsequent meeting as required.