City Manager Matthews informed the City Council that Userful was on-site during the week of November 14th to perform installation work for the Computer Learning Center. A software upgrade necessary for certain user control functions, such as filtering, was still pending.
The City Manager advised the City Council that the vast majority of the furnishings and equipment for the first phase of the project had been received. A large furniture shipment arrived earlier in the day. The remaining item is a coin-operated printer for the Computer Learning Center.
City Manager Matthews provided the City Council with an update on the Phase One construction. She informed the City Council that James F. Knott Construction Company had completed the majority of the punch list work. The installation of the permanent plaza railing was still pending. The railing was in the process of being fabricated.
The City Manager updated the City Council on the status of the City's contract with TRG Construction, the company retained for the second phase of the Community Center project. This phase, commonly referred to as the Community Plaza Level, involves the renovation of the portion of the Municipal Building formerly occupied by City staff. Upon completion, the main level of the expanded Municipal Building will house a dance room, a teen room, a game room, an additional meeting room, and the Recreation Department offices.
City Manager Matthews directed the City Council to her memo of November 28, 2005 . As indicated in the memo, the enabling legislation that authorized the contract with TRG Construction contemplated the connection of certain PVC leader connections along the library walkway to the exterior of the flood wall. The cost of this work was still under discussion at the time of the ordinance's passage, so the ordinance provided for a not-to-exceed amount of $37,491. While the value of the item is reflected in the not-to-exceed base contract amount of $944,761, the contract explicitly states that the site work would not proceed unless subsequently agreed to by both parties. On November 22, 2005, TRG Construction, Inc. submitted a revised cost of $16,690 for the work. The City Manager informed the City Council that the project management team was in the process of reviewing this price.
City Manager Matthews advised the City Council that Change Order No. 1 to the City’s contract with TRG Construction, Inc. would soon be executed. The change order is comprised of three components--contractor’s bond and builder’s risk insurance costs, compensation for delay in receiving the Notice to Proceed, and additional work required to demo a 4” concrete ceiling that was an unforeseen condition.
As TRG Construction, Inc. proceeded with demolition and framing work, the firm brought to the City’s attention the numerous differences in wall types and coverings that will need to be merged with the new wall construction. During the progress meeting on November 21, 2005, the project management team and representatives of TRG Construction, Inc. walked through the construction area to review these differences and to discuss possible ways to achieve an integrated and quality look. By addressing these issues at the beginning of the project, the amount of foreseeable RFI’s and change orders can be reduced, resulting in a more cost effective process for all parties.
City Manager Matthews informed the City Council that she would be present a financial report on December 5, 2005. She further stated that a significant number of Proposed Change Orders (PCOs) remain unresolved. The project management team recently met with a major subcontractor of James F. Knott Construction Company to discuss a number of the PCOs. The City was awaiting receipt of additional information/documentation.
The City Manager concluded her report by addressing the status of several technical studies related to the proposed construction of a gym. She noted that the budget amendment that authorized funding for these studies was approved on September 19, 2005. The studies had not yet been initiated due to the demands associated with finishing the first phase of the project, relocation of City staff, and initiation of the second phase of construction. City Manager Matthews anticipated that the studies would get underway in the near future.