[August 15, 2014]LINCOLN - Tuesday evening at the
Lincoln City Council committee-of-the-whole workshop, Mayor Keith
Snyder brought to aldermen’s attention matters regarding
expenditures from contractors and engineers related to work done on
city streets.
“No” to Maurer-Stutz
The first was a bill from Maurer-Stutz; the contractors who had done
heat scarification and seal coating on a number of streets earlier
this spring. The bill was in the amount of $1,002.50 and was for
some oversight services performed, but not authorized by the city.
Snyder said the company had done the required documentation of seal
coat quantities and had overseen the striping on certain streets.
The company had not been asked to do this, and Snyder said city
street superintendent Walt Landers was prepared to perform those
tasks.
As the matter was being presented, Landers told the council that in
spite of the unauthorized work, the project on the whole had come in
under budget more than enough to cover this added expense.
Snyder commented that in general, he didn’t like the idea of the
company asking for more money after the fact, and especially for
work they were not asked to do.
Tom O’Donohue also commented saying his concern was that this would
send a message to contractors in general that they can exceed their
bid and/or perform duties they were not asked to, and still count on
the city paying the bill.
The conversation veered briefly as Jonie Tibbs said she wasn’t all
that pleased with the work the firm had done on Clinton Street. She
surmised the resurfacing had not been graded down for private
driveways. She said residents along that street now had a big bump
when pulling in and out of their driveways. However, Landers and
Snyder said the mirco-surfacing should not have caused that kind of
problem because the new top-coat was only one-quarter inch thick.
Therefore, neither one of them was willing to suggest the problem
was caused by Maurer-Stutz.
Without much more discussion, Snyder asked if anyone was willing to
put this item on the voting agenda. O’Donohue asked what the council
would be saying if they do not put it on the agenda. Snyder said the
council would be saying “No” to the request for payment.
After that, no one requested that it go on the agenda, so the bill
will not be paid by the city.
The second request for additional funding came from Prairie
Engineers and pertained to engineering oversight of the Pulaski
Street road construction project.
Snyder said the firm has reached the contractual limits for
engineering observation of the Pulaski Street project. They were
now asking for an addition 290 hours of oversight at a cost of
$80 per hour and a total increase over the original contract of
$23,200.
Snyder said he had several email communications with the firm
and was sharing those with the council. He noted the additional
dollars would amount to a 21-percent increase over the original
contract.
Marty Neitzel asked if the original contract had been a “closed
end” contract; and Snyder said it had. He explained the council
had approved hiring Prairie Engineers for 95 working days of
oversight at a total cost “not to exceed $107,000.”
Snyder said in emails from Darren Forgy, the reason for the
additional time had been because the contractor, Stark, had
worked additional days on the project.
Again the question was asked, was anyone prepared to put this
request on the voting agenda; and no one responded. By not
adding the item to the agenda, the council was effectively
saying they are not willing to pay additional costs to Prairie
Engineers.
