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Council approves $33,000 meter amid questions over Spindler change order and excavation costs
Summary
Council accepted a $33,000 water‑meter station line item as part of a Spindler change order reported to total about $98,000. Members pressed staff for the change‑order attachment and questioned whether contractor errors or unexpected bedrock should be the town’s responsibility.
Mantua Town Council approved a $33,000 meter station added to a Spindler contract change order during its Oct. 16 meeting but left unresolved questions about the rest of the change order and any additional excavation costs.
Staff explained the change order increases the Spindler contract by approximately $98,000 and said the $33,000 meter is included in that total. Councilors pressed staff for the detailed attachment that breaks down the $98,000 and questioned whether the contractor could have anticipated geologic conditions; staff said contractors encountered bedrock and that a planned test trench or "track hole" had not been completed before excavation, which contributed to costs.
Council discussed delay risks, a possible extension of performance to avoid cold‑weather concrete work, and the town’s exposure to further bills for excavation (staff estimated an additional $60,000–$70,000 might still occur). One councilor said, "When you do a fixed‑price bid, they have every opportunity to go up and look... They can't just keep change noticing us all the time anyway." Staff responded that they will provide the missing attachment and suggested notifying the contractor to provide clarifying estimates.
Despite concerns, a motion to accept the meter line item was made and passed by voice vote. Staff was directed to circulate the change‑order backup and to obtain clearer estimates of any outstanding excavation charges before the next meeting.
