HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Special Meeting of the Ames City Council 08/07/2012MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA AUGUST 7, 2012
The Ames City Council met in special session at 5:00 p.m. on the 7 day of August, 2012, in theth
City Council Chambers in City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue, pursuant to law with Mayor Campbell
presiding. Council Members Larson, Szopinski, and Wacha were present. Since it was impractical
for all Council members to attend in person, Council Members Davis and Orazem were brought in
telephonically. Council Member Goodman and Ex officio Member Baker were absent.
2012 CITY HALL RENOVATION PROJECT REDESIGN: Assistant City Manager Bob
Kindred explained that this was the second time the City Hall Renovation Project had been bid.
On July 10, 2012, the bids that had been received were significantly over available funding and
were subsequently rejected. Staff was then directed to work with the architect to rebid the project
as quickly as possible. Revised plans and specifications were approved by Council, and a bid
due date of August 2, 2012, was established. The bids received again far exceeded identified
funding. The lowest and only responsive bid received was for slightly less than $1.65 million,
which was far beyond the available funding. Fewer bids were received on the revised plans and
specifications. The first time, six contractors bid the project; however, the second time, only two
contractors bid the project, and one did not provide the required submittals with their bid and
it was declared nonconforming.
Council Member Larson asked if some of the costs were due to the requirement to provide
Davis-Bacon wages. Mr. Kindred confirmed that that was one of the factors. Mr. Larson also
asked if some of the grant funding could be used to pay for expenses already incurred for design
costs. Mr. Kindred advised that paying design costs from the federal grant proceeds would have
been possible if the project, as applied for, were completed. The Council was told that staff will
request an extension of the grant deadline from FEMA in the hopes of preserving the grant for
a future re-bid of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) project. If the grant time can be
extended, the architect has recommended that bids not be taken again until the more competitive
December-to-January time frame. If the grant cannot be extended, staff will then seek to
determine if the equipment portion of the grant ($49,000) may be preserved even though the
EOC would not be constructed.
Council Member Davis inquired as to why the engineer’s estimate was so much lower that the
bids that were received. Mr. Kindred said that the engineering firm only offered that there were
variations in bidding over time and they could not predict how the bids would come in.
Mayor Campbell opened the public hearing. She closed same after no one came forward to
speak.
Moved by Davis, seconded by Wacha, to reject bids.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Davis to adjourn the meeting at 5:10 p.m.
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Diane R. Voss, City Clerk Ann H. Campbell, Mayor