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Board questions liquidated damages and retainage as Kentwood change orders win approval
Summary
Members secured approval of engineer-recommended change orders but pressed staff on 34 days of liquidated damages and whether deductions will come from the $80,442 adjustment, retainage or the overall contract; staff said retainage remains held and settlement will determine final payments.
Board members raised procedural and financial concerns about how liquidated damages (LDs) and retainage will be handled after staff presented recommended change orders for the Kentwood High School drainage project.
A committee member asked, "Where do we stand in? ...How many days over?" Staff responded that, "We're looking at 34 days of liquidated damages." Members then debated whether LDs should be deducted from the newly approved change-order amount, from retainage, or from overall contract amounts. Staff indicated LDs would likely be taken from the overall contract and confirmed retainage remains held.
Several members urged that no payment be released until both parties — the parish and the contractor — agree to a full settlement. One member summarized the intended approach: obtain a final settlement figure and then pay only the net amount that both sides accept. The board approved the change orders but did not authorize a specific payment; staff will return with settlement recommendations.
