Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves $58,510 design change order for Kusahache fire station contingent on deed
Summary
The county approved an $58,510 architectural change order to revise the Kusahache fire station footprint and cover delayed-labor cost increases, but council made the approval contingent on the county securing the property deed for the selected site.
County staff presented a change order with McMillan Patson Smith LLC to increase the architectural services contract by $58,510 (bringing the contract to $785,843) after the project was moved off the originally planned school site and the building footprint was reduced to stay within budget. Staff said some work had to be duplicated and that a portion of the increase reflects 2026 labor-cost changes included in the contract's delay provisions.
Councilmembers raised several concerns: the county had not yet closed on the replacement parcel (staff said closing could be within about 30 days and that wetlands delineation and a tree survey had been completed), geotechnical/site-specific work for a different parcel would still be needed, and the contract contains a cancellation clause that staff said could cost about $100,000 if the project were terminated. Several members said they did not want to authorize additional design money until the deed was in hand.
The council approved the change order on the condition that staff secure and present the deed for the selected property (the motion and second carried by voice vote). Staff said proceeding now allows the architect to complete core building planning that will apply regardless of final parcel orientation, while waiting would likely increase professional-services costs further.
Why it matters: The decision resumes design work on a long-delayed fire-station project intended to replace an existing facility judged unusable for staff quarters and to position the county for construction when a parcel is secured.
What’s next: Staff will proceed to close on the parcel if possible within the stated timeframe and return documentation; the contract amendment will be executed once the deed condition is satisfied.
