Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solid Waste Project topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County project team flags multiple change orders that could eat contingency on transfer-station build
Summary
Todd County project leads briefed commissioners that several change orders and equipment purchases for the new transfer-station project could consume most of the 6% contingency; identified items included Minnesota Power relocation ($34,004.91), plumbing-plan revisions and added oil/water separators ($48,575), foundation reaction changes ($37,115.91) and optional interior liner panels ($66,745), plus recommended purchasing combined Bobcat/forklift equipment (~$120,000) from capital funds rather than contingency.
Project managers told the Todd County Board during a lengthy work session that a set of construction and equipment changes have emerged for the new transfer-station/solid-waste facility and that four to six items could consume most of the project's contingency.
Staff said the prime contractor's original contract with High-Tech Construction was $7.8 million, with the project approximately 68% complete based on pay requests. Stantec's design-and-administration contract remains in place. The team recapped equipment purchases and adjustments to the equipment and furniture budgets and outlined a recommended 6% contingency ($577,000).
Specific cost items presented included: Minnesota Power relocation/burying of overhead power and transformer ($34,004.91); plumbing plan-review changes required by the Department of Labor and Industry that added oil/water separators and an associated cost of $48,575; building foundation reaction-required changes tied to the pre-engineered building ($37,115.91); and an optional set of interior liner panels quoted at $66,745. Project staff recommended treating the first four items as change orders to High-Tech and paying from the project contingency, while discussing whether the interior liner panels should be advanced now or deferred. Separately, staff proposed purchasing a combined forklift/Bobcat-type machine for about $120,000 and suggested funding that purchase from the 2026 capital-improvement fund to preserve contingency for construction change orders.
"High-tech Construction, their original contract was for $7,800,000...as of our March pay request, they've spent about 5.3 [million]. So they're at 68% completion of the project," a project lead said; the team then walked through contingency items and recommended coming back with formal change-order documents. Commissioners expressed concern about drawing contingency down too far before later-stage risks are known and asked staff to return with formal board actions and possible Stantec representation to answer technical questions.
Provenance: topicintro: SEG 1166; topfinish: SEG 2234.
