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Cresco council weighs large cost increase for Castle Lodge parking-lot work; asks for asphalt vs. concrete estimates
Summary
Council members reviewed uncompleted capital projects and learned the Castle Lodge parking-lot removal could add roughly $177,000 to the previously approved budget, prompting a request for additional estimates (including asphalt alternatives) and a follow-up on Aug. 5.
Council members spent a substantial portion of their July 15 meeting reviewing uncompleted capital projects and a possible budget amendment after staff highlighted several items that exceeded earlier estimates.
The most significant point of contention was a concrete parking lot by Castle Lodge. Staff said removal of existing concrete — which had not been included in prior estimates — adds about $177,000 to the project cost; when combined with replacement the staff discussion suggested total costs could approach roughly $880,000. Council asked staff to obtain a second opinion and a specific asphalt-vs-concrete cost comparison for the Aug. 5 packet before any budget amendment is considered.
During the exchange staff and council discussed unit-cost figures offered in the meeting: one contractor estimate mentioned asphalt at roughly $20–$30 per square yard (for a 4-inch depth) and cited concrete near $50 per square yard; another staff comment referenced a figure of about $135 per cubic yard in a different context. Council members cautioned that while asphalt may be cheaper up front, concrete can last longer and patching costs differ; they emphasized evaluating lifecycle and the condition of adjacent roadway segments before deciding.
Staff said most other uncompleted projects generally matched prior budgets, but a few unexpected expenses and donated items changed some line-item balances. Administration and finance staff noted some revised packet materials were missing from the revised packet distributed before the meeting and that the full fund-balance detail would be included in the next packet.
Council directed staff to: • Seek a contractor estimate on asphalt versus concrete alternatives for the Castle Lodge parking lot; • Include the contractor’s and staff’s findings in the Aug. 5 packet for council review; and • Re-present any proposed budget amendments with detailed line-item impacts before any vote.
The council did not adopt a budget amendment at the July 15 meeting; it agreed to revisit the packet on Aug. 5 with additional information.
