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Council reviews $47,861 change order and pay request as Center Street work runs into delays
Summary
Council members approved a change order for $47,861 covering water-valve work and heard a pay request (amount cited in the transcript) for the Center Street/Main Street construction; members voiced concern about schedule shifts, business impacts and the Nov. 5 substantial-completion milestone.
At a Madelia City Council workshop, staff presented a change order for the Center Street project totaling $47,861 to cover additional water-valve work and associated repairs. "The change order request is for valves ... they had to cut them in," a staff member said while explaining why the extra work was needed.
The staff member also cited a pay request for the contractor that was read into the record; the transcript lists the pay request figure as approximately $1,052,593.11 (the audio/text in the transcript was unclear on punctuation). Council members and members of the public pressed for a clearer completion schedule and asked whether the city could assess liquidated damages if a second closure or rework becomes necessary.
Public-works staff described how crews discovered old, broken valves during tie-in work and that pieces of equipment were damaged when shutting down the system. The council heard that additional parts (belts) and labor would be paid from the water repairs and maintenance budget. "We had to go in and do it," a staff member said, explaining the immediate repair need.
Council members repeatedly expressed frustration at schedule shifts and the contractor's optimism about start and completion dates. One participant said Thursday's meeting had promised paving that did not happen until later, and a council member warned the council could face real business impacts if Main Street remains disrupted. The Nov. 5 date was identified as the substantial-completion milestone that would determine whether liquidated damages or other remedies apply.
Staff said the contract requires a hard, smooth surface but that specific remedies and liquidated-damages calculations will require review of contract language. The council conducted a voice vote on the evening's consent items at the close of the provided segments.
Next steps include reviewing the contract's remedies language and monitoring the contractor's schedule ahead of Nov. 5; staff said more detailed progress reporting and a pessimistic completion projection should be prepared for council review.
