Beaumont council approves package of change orders, grant contracts and infrastructure purchases

Beaumont City Council approved a package of resolutions and contract changes at its most recent meeting, authorizing new applications for federal tax credits, additional construction change orders on street and parking projects, professional services for water-grant pursuit, and purchases to strengthen water-utility emergency power.

The administration presented an amendment to Resolution 24337 to let Trans Tax Advisors pursue additional federal tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act for compressed natural gas (CNG) used by city transit buses for the period 2016 through June 2020; staff estimated the additional credits could yield up to about $468,000 for the city and said Trans Tax Advisors would be paid 25% of any refund. "The credits are available through the Inflation Reduction Act and may provide up to 50 cents per gallon of alternative fuel used by the city's transit buses," the city manager said as he introduced the item. Council approved the amendment by voice vote.

Council then approved a set of construction change orders. A $233,047.70 change order to Texas Materials Group Inc. for the Highland Avenue Roadway Rehabilitation project adds waterline fittings, curb and pavement quantity adjustments and additional temporary pavement markings and raises the contract to approximately $8.28 million and adds 30 calendar days. Council members questioned whether more unseen conditions could drive future change orders; staff urged a balance between additional up-front engineering and market-driven bid pricing. "We don't have x-ray vision," a staff member said when explaining limits to subsurface certainty, while council members pressed for work sessions to examine change-order practices.

The council also approved a $57,630 change order to Elite Contractors for additional concrete repairs at the athletic complex (adding about 339 square yards) and a $232,265 change order to Allco LLC for citywide street-rehab phase six to address more extensive pavement and base failures; both items were funded with certificates of obligation. Separately, the council awarded a bid to LZ Services LLC for a concrete slab and tank installation at the city's prison tank site for $87,000 and approved the purchase of a 20,000-gallon fuel tank and equipment from Mustang Cat for the Pine Street surface water treatment plant at a cost of $336,200, to be funded with water revenue bonds. City staff said the new tank is sized to provide a minimum of four days of continuous generator operation during extended outages.

Council approved professional services contracts to help pursue state water-supply funding through the Texas Water Development Board. The council selected Schaumburg & Polk for grant engineering services and Gary R. Trailor & Associates for grant administration; staff noted Beaumont is eligible for up to $15 million under the program established by House Bill 500. Both contracts were described as contingent on grant awards and would be 100% grant-funded if the city receives the TWDB funds.

The meeting record shows council approved a $5,000 donation from Itechs Corporation to relocate a bus shelter to serve Abiding Grace Apartments; council members praised the donor and the council member who helped arrange the gift.

Council members emphasized monitoring change orders and procurement language to limit unnecessary increases, and staff said contingencies are budgeted into many projects. The council did not record a roll-call vote in the transcript for these agenda items; approvals were made by voice at the meeting. The city manager and staff said they will continue to provide details and follow-up in upcoming work sessions where requested.