Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Ssb topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Trustees reject contested Safety Services Building bids, direct rebid and agreement work
Summary
Trustees repeatedly reviewed plans and bids for the Safety Services Building renovation in 2015, rejected initial bids that exceeded estimates, approved amended agreements and payment terms with the City, and directed a rebid and legal review while protecting the township’s budget timetable.
The Norwich Township Board of Trustees spent much of 2015 negotiating the Safety Services Building (SSB) renovation after bids came in significantly higher than earlier engineering estimates. Chairman Timothy Roberts and Township Administrator Kate Cavanaugh led discussions with m+a architects and project managers, and trustees reviewed revised cost proposals before voting to reject all initial bids in July and later to rebid the project.
The board first placed the SSB renovation on the agenda in January, asking the administrator to confirm whether the City’s attorney could meet a firm Feb. 1 deadline to produce a draft agreement to preserve the planned bidding and construction schedule. Trustees asked that city payment terms be 50% at contract award, 25% at eight weeks of construction and 25% at final inspection. When bids were returned in June, the low bid exceeded the original engineering estimate by roughly $100,000, and the board—citing the city’s concerns about the increase—voted on July 7 to reject all bids and explore re-bidding or phasing options.
In follow-up meetings the board worked with m+a architects to revise scope and costs. On Sept. 16 architects provided an updated cost proposal and the board included the renovated SSB in the 2016 budget planning. Trustees later authorized retaining outside counsel and approved an amended Agreement for Renovations and Improvements to the Joint Safety Services Building on Dec. 1 to reflect negotiated changes. On Nov. 17 the board voted to rebid the SSB project; the board reaffirmed that any future bid decisions will consider both scope reductions and timing to protect township finances.
The trustees framed the bids issue as a combination of higher construction costs and the City’s decreased willingness to proceed at the original estimates. Township Administrator Jamie Fisher and project manager Tom Linzell were designated to pursue rebid planning and to coordinate with counsel; the board directed the administrator to keep the trustees updated on next steps and timing.
The decision leaves the renovation on hold pending re-bids and any further intergovernmental negotiations. The board’s most recent formal action on the project was approval of an amended renovation agreement and a motion to rebid the work; trustees also instructed staff to pursue legal review and to include the project in the 2016 capital budget.
