Transportation committee approves $31,061 CEI change order for Lefton Parkway after debate over contractor responsibility

The Buford County Transportation Committee approved a $31,061 change order to the CEI (construction engineering and inspection) contract for the Lefton Parkway project after extended debate about accountability for cost overruns.

Chair (name not specified in the transcript), who led the meeting, said he was reluctant to have the county absorb all of the additional charges when some of the delays appeared related to contractor equipment breakdowns and schedule changes. "I have a tough time being able to to wrap my arms around the fact that we're sucking up $31,000 that wasn't caused by our negligence," the chair said during the discussion.

Trustee (Speaker 11), who brought the item forward, said the CEI firm (F&ME) submitted documentation showing additional hours billed beyond their original estimate and noted that while the overall paving contract came in under budget by roughly $450,000, the CEI line item had exceeded its estimate. The trustee requested the change order to cover the CEI overrun and said the project’s savings elsewhere did not negate the CEI’s additional invoiced time.

A Blythe representative who addressed the committee disputed the suggestion that the paving contractor was at fault, saying the contractor had documented weekly calls, four-week outlooks and other communications with inspectors. "I would wholeheartedly disagree with your assessment," the representative said, arguing the contractor had performed and that the billed hours reflected work actually performed on site.

Committee members discussed several options, including splitting the overrun with the contractor as a shared accountability measure, retabling the change order to negotiate further with the paving contractor, or approving the change order now and pursuing negotiations separately. F&ME acknowledged it should have provided earlier written notice when their hours would exceed estimates and pledged to improve budget-tracking and to notify the county in writing when CEI costs exceed 75% of the allowed budget going forward.

After discussion, a motion to approve the $31,061 change order was moved and seconded. The chair called for the ayes and later stated, "Motion carries." The committee did not record a roll-call vote with individual member names in the transcript; the chair announced the outcome.

What it means: The county will pay the CEI change order as requested, and the CEI firm agreed to new practices intended to improve earlier notification and budget tracking on future projects. Committee members said they expect the county to pursue negotiations with the paving contractor separately to determine whether part of the overrun can be apportioned to the contractor.

Next steps: Committee members said they want CEI contracts to include clearer communication requirements and budget-tracking remedies so future overruns are disclosed earlier. The committee moved on to the rest of its agenda after approving the change order.