Rialto approves Fire Station 201 safety improvement contract; council asks for competitive bids on on-call construction management

The Rialto City Council approved awarding a construction contract for safety improvements at Fire Station 201 and asked staff to seek competitive pricing for on-call construction-management services after councilmembers questioned the cost portion for on-call services.

Public Works Director Yazam Roni described the project as a response to vehicle collisions that damaged the exterior of the station and said the improvements are designed to prevent future accidents. "The Fire Station 201 safety improvement project was developed because of the accidents that happened..." Roni said.

Councilmembers debated a roughly $188,000 change order proposed for on-call construction management, representing about 20% of the $937,665 contract amount. Mayor Pro Tem Scott said, "That's a lot of money, especially for a $900,000 project that's 20%." Several members asked whether the city had solicited competing proposals from other on-call contractors and suggested the on-call portion be bid out. Public works staff said internal staffing levels preclude taking the work fully in-house and that the on-call contract was used to expedite response; staff agreed to return with competitive pricing within two weeks while approving the construction contract to meet urgent safety needs.

The council approved the contract award by roll call; the vote record shows all present councilmembers voting in favor during the roll call sequence.

Next steps: Staff will return with competitive proposals or a separate contract for the on-call construction-management portion and a budget resolution addressing the final funding allocation.