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Council questions $50,400 change order for decorative ‘leaf’ benches at Kobby Park, asks for simpler seating options
Summary
A proposed $50,400 change order to install three decorative aluminum 'leaf' benches in the Kobby Park food-truck plaza prompted council concerns about cost, safety and functionality; members asked staff to pursue lower-cost seating and landscaping alternatives and return with revised proposals.
At the Oct. 7 meeting, staff presented change-order work for Kobby Park that included three artist-designed aluminum "leaf" benches priced at $50,400, additional stand-up "Jesse bars" and other landscaping items.
Staff said the leaf benches were an aesthetic element integrated into the food-truck plaza design and that the change order also included lower-cost landscaping components and repainting of existing benches. The contractor supplied updated pricing for the three benches at $50,400 to install.
Several council members raised safety and functionality concerns. One member said the benches might be visually striking but questioned whether they provided adequate, comfortable seating and worried about jagged edges; another suggested simpler flat benches with stamped leaf patterns or concrete benches that could be less costly and offer more usable seating. The council generally supported keeping landscaping items (topsoil, perennial ground cover) that were lower cost.
Council asked staff to return with alternative, more functional seating options and associated pricing rather than approving the full $50,400 change order as presented.
Next steps: staff will explore less expensive bench options (flat stamped benches, concrete benches with leaf motifs), refine engineering cost estimates and bring revised recommendations back to council for approval.
