County approves $350K change order after soil tests raise costs for EOC/Response Center; ARPA deadline looms
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Summary
Contractors reported discrepant soil samples that required deeper excavation, piers and added materials, producing a roughly $350,940 change order. Commissioners approved the change order amid questions about the geotechnical testing, responsibility for the discrepancy, and risk of missing the ARPA spending deadline.
Project managers told the court that additional core sampling and test pits revealed subsurface conditions different from the original boring logs used in design work, forcing deeper excavation, 25‑foot piers in some locations and higher quantities of rebar, concrete and base material. Staff presented a change order package for Guido Construction totaling $350,940 to address the foundation revisions.
Why it matters: The two county projects affected — an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) warehouse and an Emergency Response Center (ERC) fire station — were funded in part with ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) allocations that have a federal spending timeline. Commissioners expressed concern that additional change orders could push the projects past the grant deadline and risk returning funds.
Contractor and staff account: County staff said geotechnical reports initially recommended treatments that could have worked but would have introduced schedule risk; bringing in engineered fill and additional piers gave the county a higher assurance of long‑term foundation performance. Staff also reported an anticipated additional sprinkler system change order tied to local water‑flow limitations that could add near‑$700K–$1M in cost if a fire water storage tank and pump are required.
Board response: Commissioners pressed for accountability from the geotechnical consultant (UES) and sought a fuller list of expected change orders. Several members said the sample discrepancy should have been caught during pre‑construction testing. Staff said they would provide the court the original borings, new test pit reports and anticipated pending change orders and would coordinate with the county grant administrator to determine whether deadline relief is possible. The court approved the current change order so work could continue.
Next steps: Staff will send soil reports and documentation to the court and county counsel, request information from the geotechnical firm, and meet with ARPA grant administrators to explore options. The court asked staff to compile an itemized list of likely near‑term change orders and to identify contingency funding sources.
