St. Clair approves up-to-$230,000 contract for Evergreen Park splash pad

The St. Clair Board of Aldermen voted to approve an ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract for the Evergreen Park splash pad project with Vernon/Burns & Jones Construction for an amount not to exceed $230,000. The motion to approve Bill 2026-5 passed during the Feb. 2 meeting and the ordinance was recorded as No. 2255.

Administrator Wilson told the board the project was originally budgeted at $170,000, including engineering. The city received two bids; the low bid was $209,400, putting construction over the budgeted amount. Wilson said staff conducted background checks on both bidders and recommended moving forward with the low bidder while omitting the pavement-marking alternate so city crews could complete markings in-house.

Wilson said the council should authorize a not-to-exceed cap of $230,000 to allow room to address potential plumbing issues discovered during construction. "Because we're worried about the plumbing, the ordinance reads not to exceed $230,000. This would give us leeway to fix some of the plumbing if we run into problems," he said.

Council members read Bill 2026-5 for first and second reading by title, then voted to enact the ordinance. The record notes the motion and the ordinance number but does not include a detailed roll-call tally in the transcript.

Wilson said he would return with a budget amendment and final cost details after construction bids are executed and contingencies are resolved.

The board did not approve the pavement-marking alternate; staff said Lucas and his team will perform striping to save funds and keep contractor scope focused on primary construction.

Next steps: staff will finalize the contract with the awarded contractor, return estimated final costs to the board, and present any required budget amendment.