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Council applies $3,275 engineering credit, approves county invoices tied to sewer project
Summary
Swisher council approved a $3,275 credit to the HR Green engineering contract and cleared multiple Johnson County invoices, leaving an estimated net town cost of roughly $141,865; council and staff debated retainage, county reimbursements and bond/TIF timing.
Swisher council on Nov. 25 approved an amendment that applies a $3,275 credit to the HR Green engineering contract for the sanitary sewer improvement project and voted to clear related Johnson County invoices.
City staff said the credit makes the city whole for engineering fees the county declined to reimburse for inspector time in 2019–2020. "What we're doing is making you guys whole," a staff member said, describing the contract adjustment as a direct offset to disputed engineering fees. Council then voted on Resolution 75-2024, approving the amendment.
Council also reviewed several invoices from the Johnson County secondary roads department tied to construction work and annexation-related costs. Staff walked members through a reconciliation that produced a net town cost of about $141,864.90 after combining previously approved payments, withheld amounts and county reimbursements. "We're reimbursing you the engineering fees that they weren't willing to — the county reimburse to you," staff said, explaining the accounting steps.
Council members questioned the sequence and timing of payments and reimbursements. Staff said some payments had been held (retainage) by a staff member for several years while accounting was reconciled; staff named Tanya as the person who withheld funds pending verification. The county was quoted in the discussion as expected to reimburse roughly $204,475.11 for portions of the work, and staff said the town would draw from a bond fund that currently holds about $396,000 to cover immediate payments.
Members pressed on which funds would ultimately carry the cost (bond versus TIF) and whether spending deadlines or county bookkeeping would affect timing. One council member summarized the agenda items as cleanup to issue checks and reconcile past actions: the council had previously approved payments as project invoices arrived, staff said, but withheld disbursements pending an engineering-fee reconciliation.
The council approved submitting an invoice to Johnson County for $4,475 to recover specific work costs and separately approved the reimbursement requests and payment motions tied to the Division Street project; several votes were completed by roll call.
Next steps include issuing the approved payments and awaiting county reimbursement; staff said the county hoped to clear its books by year-end, which would influence when the town’s net expense is finalized.
