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Pender County approves $7.9 million construction contract for New Hampstead Library and updates budget

Pender County Board of Commissioners · February 17, 2026

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Summary

After a presentation on funding and bids, the board approved a $7.906 million construction contract with Daniels & Daniels and revised the project budget to $10.82 million; legal counsel and several commissioners discussed contract form and change‑order authority.

Pender County commissioners voted Feb. 17 to approve the construction contract and a budget amendment for the New Hampstead Library project.

Library director Alan Phillips Bell said the Friends of the Library raised $500,000 and a private donor pledged $1 million for the project. County staff reported seven bids and identified Daniels & Daniels Construction as the lowest responsive bidder at $7,906,000. Staff recommended revising the capital project budget to $10,820,760. Funding sources for the amended budget include $6,991,760 from the general fund balance, $1.5 million in donations (friends and private donor) and an anticipated $1.2 million in proceeds from the potential sale of the existing library property.

Commissioners asked counsel about use of an American Institute of Architects (AIA) standard contract with a county-drafted addendum. County counsel said the addendum is drafted to place county-required terms (venue, pre-audit, dispute-resolution language) ahead of conflicting AIA terms and noted the manager can approve change orders up to $30,000 before returning to the board. Some commissioners expressed concern about prior projects with significant change orders and recommended delaying contract signature until counsel can provide additional protections; counsel and the county project manager argued that bid pricing and timelines require prompt action. The board ultimately approved the ordinance amendment, the budget allocation and the contract package by majority voice vote.

Ending: With the vote, staff may execute the contract and proceed toward construction; counsel will provide and enforce the addendum terms, and the manager retains limited authority for change orders up to $30,000 before board review.