Sunday, March 15, 2009 8:32 PM CDT
Mattoon council to consider a cut in depot project costs
By HERB MEEKER, Staff Writer
hmeeker@jg-tc.com
MATTOON — City commissioners are poised to decide Tuesday night on a trimmed bid for the Illinois Central Railroad Depot restoration project.
The proposal would cut the base bid amount from Grunloh Construction of Effingham from $2,492,000 to $2,109,239 by deleting terrazzo floor repair from the work order.
City officials earlier this month learned of that option to allow leeway for any unexpected additional costs for the project that will be paid for mostly by $2.74 million in federal funding originally committed by transportation legislation in 2005.
This change order on the Grunloh bid cuts $382,761 from costs on the restoration. The interior and exterior of the 91-year-old passenger station, still an active Amtrak facility located in midtown Mattoon, will be restored, and a new public elevator will be added. Other plans for the station include adding a local history museum on the lower level and adding business venues on the Broadway Avenue level of the tri-level structure.
During a meeting earlier this month at the depot, some city officials met with the architect and employees with Grunloh, the low bidder on the effort, to discuss trimming some work from the project to provide a buffer against contingencies or overcosts.
At the time, Mattoon City Treasurer Preston Owen made it clear city funds could not cover the extra costs.
It was then suggested by those involved in the design and construction that the terrazzo floor specifications might be the best way to cut back on the bid. Don Hance, the project architect, explained the floor work might be handled in another way as opposed to the complete replacement indicated in the specifications.
The council will decide on the full bid package during its meeting Tuesday, which starts at 6:30 p.m. in at city hall in the council chambers.
In other business Tuesday, the council will decide on a bid for relocation of a water main off U.S. Route 45 and County Road 1000N, and adoption of higher fees for copies of various documents and services provided by the offices of the city clerk, water plant laboratory and police department.
The council will also hear a presentation on World Autism Awareness Day prior to the taking action on different motions.
Any city resident can address the council during the presentations, petitions and communications portion of the council meeting. People making these presentations or asking questions are reminded to limit their presentations to three minutes.
New rules apply to this session, based on an announcement during the March 3 meeting. The council is requiring people to make their presentations at a podium before the council. In addition, no comments are allowed while the council is voting on motions later during the meeting.
Contact Herb Meeker at hmeeker@jg-tc.com or 238-6869.
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Old Grumpy wrote on Mar 16, 2009 8:20 AM:
New rules apply to this session, based on an announcement during the March 3 meeting. The council is requiring people to make their presentations at a podium before the council. In addition, no comments are allowed while the council is voting on motions later during the meeting.
Seems as if the Council is tired of hearing the views of citizens at Council meetings. Or is it they want to give the two incumbents a chance to campaign without allowing the opposition to state their views? "