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Resident raises procurement concerns as village approves $39,654 pre-construction agreement with Core
Summary
The Village of Chatham approved a $39,654 professional services contract for pre-construction work with Core while a resident questioned why the construction-manager role was not publicly bid; the village attorney clarified the agreement covers only pre-construction work and any construction work would be publicly bid.
The Village of Chatham’s board voted to approve a professional services agreement for pre-construction services with Core in the amount of $39,654, while a resident urged greater transparency in how the construction-manager role was selected.
Diana Carile, a longtime resident who spoke during public comment, said she was “very concerned about how the bidding process is done” and asked why the construction-manager role “was not public.” Carile said prior meeting materials listed Core in pre-construction roles and asked the board to explain how Core was recommended.
The village attorney’s written clarification, read into the record by staff, said the action approved at the meeting was “a professional services contract for pre-construction services only in the amount of $39,654.” The attorney’s message said the village followed a combined RFQ/RFP process and that if the village decides to move forward with construction “there would be an additional professional services agreement that must be approved by the village to retain Core as the construction manager at risk for the project and approve the guaranteed maximum price for the project. Should the project move forward, construction work will be publicly bid using the RFP process.”
Tim, a representative from Core who attended the meeting, described the company’s role as pre-construction and construction manager functions and denied a financial conflict with the project’s design partner: “No, there's no conflict of interest there. We have a completely separate board of directors. No conflict of interest from a financial perspective.”
Trustees moved the ordinance to the floor and recorded votes. One trustee, Trustee Charo, said she had to abstain on the vote; other trustees recorded votes in favor. The board then advanced the consent agenda and recorded votes on those items.
The decision at the meeting approved only the pre-construction services contract and did not commit the village to a construction-manager-at-risk contract or to a guaranteed maximum price. Any decision to retain a construction manager for construction work and to accept a guaranteed maximum price would require a separate vote by the village board.
