Commission approves $130,000 change order to finish third water tower after contractor dispute

City staff recommended and the commission approved a change order for project 24041 to complete painting and maintenance work on three municipal water towers. The original contract covered all three towers but the contractor completed only two during the initial season; staff said the work quality was satisfactory but timing prevented completion. To avoid rebidding at higher cost, staff proposed a change order of $130,000 to remobilize the contractor and extend the completion deadline into 2027.

"The vendor was doing good work…this solution will, in the opinion of staff, save the city the most money and get the project finished," staff said while describing the contract discussions. Commissioners pressed staff about whether delays were the contractor’s responsibility and whether the original contract included timing and mobilization provisions; staff said the original contract anticipated completion within a year and the change order extends both contract time and the price to finish the work.

Several members of the public raised sharper concerns. One speaker said the matter resembles an out‑of‑court settlement, referenced a contractor lawsuit available on the Kansas District Court website, and urged more accountability. Another asked why a single tower needs an additional $130,000 when the original contract for three towers was about $1.2 million; staff replied the change reflects remobilization costs and represented roughly a 10% increase relative to the original contract. After a brief executive session on attorney‑client matters, the commission voted to approve the change order and authorized the city manager to sign.