Macomb administrators and city council members are wondering why it took so long for consulting firm IMEG Corp. to complete engineering for what should have been a fairly routine project.
The city hired IMEG in early June of last year to do the engineering for improvement projects at the main fire station:
- Replace the more than 20-year old roof
- Replace the more than 20-year old HVAC system
- Replace the concrete driveway
Fire Chief Dan Meyer told the city council that it took a bit more than a year for IMEG to complete the engineering.
“We believe that the length of time that it took to engineer the projects probably had something to do with the increased cost,” Meyer said.
The projected price tag a year ago was $375,000. The low bid opened this month, from Henson Robinson Company, was for $495,000.
The other two bids received were for $595,042 and $597,000.
At large city council member Don Wynn asked City Administrator Scott Coker if the city had any recourse.
Wynn: “Is there a possible way to recoup any of this cost from the engineering firm?”
Coker: “I think the loss for them will be a lack of future business from the city.”
Coker and Mayor Mike Inman will be meeting with representatives from IMEG.
Inman said, “We want to get somebody down here and start the conversation face-to-face about why a project of this size and this scope – which is fairly minor – took this long.”
Inman said IMEG also engineered a couple road projects for the city that were delayed.
Meanwhile, the city does not believe rebidding the fire station improvement projects will result in a lower price, and that a further delay could result in an even higher cost.
City council members will be asked to approve the bid next week. If approved, the difference would come out of the city’s general fund.
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