Two contract change orders totaling more than $130,000 were approved during the Nov. 6 Haines Borough Assembly meeting without discussion.
An $83,500 adjustment to the third phase of the Haines Street Improvement project and a $50,300 adjustment to the Fourth Avenue, View Street, and Lynnview Drive water-sewer upgrade project passed as resolutions in the meeting’s consent agenda. Both contracts are with Southeast Roadbuilders, Inc.
Director of public facilities Carlos Jimenez said change orders are extremely common since construction companies run into unforeseen costs as they proceed with projects.
“You can have your engineers do research and look at plans but until you actually dig into the ground, you don’t know what’s there,” Jimenez said.
Southeast Roadbuilders requested an additional $83,500 on top of the original $1.35 million contract for street improvements due to sewer conflicts, perforated pipes, and other issues. The firm requested $50,300 to be added to the $429,000 contract for the water-sewer upgrade project, because of missing service valves and the discovery of abandoned sewer lines not marked on the area’s blueprint.
Jimenez said the abandoned sewer lines were completely removed and the new as-builts, or underground maps of the area, will be more accurate and reflect where all the lines are actually located.
Items on the assembly’s consent agenda are approved without discussion at meetings.