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Council approves lead-service change order, procurement fix, fleet surpluses and $10M in claims
Summary
Lafayette City approved change order No. 2 for the lead service line replacement contract (+$110,963.35), a procurement modification for sodium fluoride supplies, surplus equipment declarations and payment of claims totaling $10,003,095.22; staff flagged outreach and right-of-entry challenges for lead-line work.
The Lafayette City board approved several operational items including a $110,963.35 change order on the lead service line replacement project, a procurement modification for sodium fluoride supply, multiple surplus-asset declarations from fleet maintenance and payment of claims totaling $10,003,095.22.
Steve Moore introduced change order No. 2 for Atlas Excavating, citing two remobilization trips and delayed right-of-entry agreements that increased costs by $110,963.35. Jackie (staff member leading the replacement program) told the board the program must secure property-owner permission to access lines from the meter into the house and that the city marked declined properties in its utility billing system to reengage if ownership changes. She said phase 1 included 867 properties with 580 completions to date and estimated an outreach/collection ratio of about 65–70%.
Jackie described outreach improvements, including a lead-service-line replacement video and revised marketing materials to increase consent rates. She said in-home connections generally take “an hour or less” by a licensed plumber and emphasized continued outreach to renters and owners who had not responded.
On procurement, Jeremy Deal, acting city controller for purchasing, said the sodium fluoride contract initially showed a clerical award to Water Solutions Unlimited; the award was corrected to Bell Rock Chemical and then, after Bell Rock indicated it could not meet the city’s timeline, Deal recommended placing the contract with the next-lowest bidder, Water Solutions Unlimited. Board members asked whether the city requires bid bonds for chemical bids; staff said chemical bids typically do not use bid bonds and the price difference in this case was nominal. The board approved the modification of award by voice vote.
The board also declared multiple fleet items as surplus (listed by make and year) and approved a separate surplus/trade-in for a 1999 John Deere tractor. The controller’s office presented payables totaling $10,003,095.22, and noted one large entry was an INDOT grant match for the Ninth Street project; the board approved payment of claims by voice vote.
In nonbinding public items, Markita Evans, representing Greater Macedonia Church of God in Christ, requested a sidewalk closure for an Easter community event expected to draw about 200 people; the board approved the special-event request. A banner request from Food Finders was also approved.
What’s next: staff will continue outreach to property owners for the lead program, monitor contractor remobilizations and report back to the board on progress and any further cost impacts.
