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Board hears request to boost Bella Vista detention-basin contingency amid construction overruns
Summary
County staff told supervisors the Bella Vista detention basin construction is running over budget; staff requested a $551,000 increase in contingency (to roughly $827,000) citing material and installation issues; engineers described bid and expected end costs.
County engineering staff told the Cochise County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 5 that construction of the Bella Vista Detention Basin is running over its original estimates and requested an increase to the project contingency.
Speaker 6 described a request to increase contingency by $551,000, bringing the contingency line to roughly $827,000 (previously around $200,000). An engineering presenter (Speaker 8) said the original bid plus 5% totaled $5,794,797.75 and that the projected end cost is approximately $5,987,542.64, attributing the growth to on‑site construction issues and material costs such as riprap and reinforced‑concrete pipe installation challenges.
Board members pressed staff on whether inflation, change orders, or design omissions caused the overrun. Staff acknowledged elements of the design and in‑field installation (anchoring and compaction for culverts) required additional work. Supervisors asked for clearer explanations of how the additional contingency figure was calculated and whether contingency wallets and management reserves had been exhausted.
No formal vote was recorded during the work session; staff said engineering and project leads (Joaquin Solis and Brad Simmons were present) will return with documentation at the regular meeting so the board can consider formal approval of the contingency increase.
