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Freeport council approves $7,719 change order for 3280 well; monitoring well permit may add roughly $75,000
Summary
The City of Freeport approved a $7,719 change order for additional casing at a new well on 3280 after unexpected soil cuttings; staff warned a required monitoring well tied to permitting could cost about $75,000 and said the contract remains under its not-to-exceed amount.
The City of Freeport on May 28 approved a $7,719 change order to extend casing on a well being drilled in the growth corridor near 3280 after crews encountered deeper-than-expected soil cuttings.
City Manager (staff) told the council the project was procured as a unit-price contract and that the additional casing was needed to continue progress based on on-site inspection. The manager said the contract remains below its original not-to-exceed amount and that the change order uses pre-established unit prices.
The manager said a separate permitting requirement from the Northwest Florida Water Management District now calls for construction of a monitoring well approximately 50 feet from the new well. Staff estimated the monitoring-well work could cost "probably in the range of $75,000," and said that cost will be brought to council when a firm price is known.
Council members pressed staff on procurement and whether the bid compared contractors on equal terms after multiple early change items emerged. Staff said the monitoring-well requirement resulted from permit timing tied to the city's renewal window and was not an omission in design; they also noted unit-price contracts lock in unit costs, which can leave quantities to be determined in the field.
A council motion to approve the $7,719 change order passed by voice/roll-call vote. Staff said it will return with any larger change orders or the final price for the monitoring well when those amounts are known.
What happens next: staff will return with a formal price for the monitoring well and any future change orders if the work pushes the contract above its original not-to-exceed amount.
