A meeting of the minds produced few concrete solutions Tuesday, al-though city officials, contractors and an architect dealing with ongoing renovations to the Iola Public Library said they hoped to reach an agreement soon regarding change orders while work proceeds.
At issue is a series of mishaps and disagreements regarding the library’s roof, which was replaced by crews from Allied Roofing Systems of Springfield, Mo., in June.
There are two main issues, commissioners were told.
First, Allied crews failed to notify the project’s architect that the roof they were replacing — originally thought to be 4 inches thick — was actually more than 14 inches thick because two additional layers had been installed after the library was built in the 1960s.
Instead, crews replaced the roof and filed a change order with the city, asking for an additional $29,000 to pay for added labor and costs.
Secondly, a pair of torrential downpours in June resulted in flooding inside the building while the roof work was being done, an issue ultimately tied to clogged roof drains. The drains were apparently clogged when the additional roof layers had been installed, said Jordan Irwin of General Services Corp. of Oswego, library project superintendent.
Jeff Cogdill, speaking for Allied, said nobody realized the drains were clogged previously because excess rainwater had most likely flowed over the edge of the roof.
But with a temporary roof over the library — a series of tarps to divert rainwater to the drains — the June 16 downpour quickly forced the backed up water on top of the tarps and ultimately into the building, ruining wood trim, damaging light fixtures and soaking newly laid carpet.
That the carpet was already in place stuck in the craw of City Commissioner Craig Abbott.
“I’ve been involved with a construction project or two, and the carpet is always the last thing you do,” Abbott told Irwin.
THE DISAGREEMENTS have essentially put work at a standstill, commissioners were told.
Allied has halted its project until it receives direction on how to do the second half of their roof project, on the building’s lower level.
Irwin, likewise, said no interior work will continue until the roof issue is resolved.Allied has proposed the city spend another $3,000 to replace two of the roof drains, although the project architect, Hans Fischer of Lawrence, suggested existing drains be better inspected before the city decides to replace them.
Cogdill assured commissioners he was eager to complete the job and that the delay was simply ordered until he received direction on how to handle the remaining roof work.
“We’re not trying to (cheat) anyone,” Cogdill said.
Maness said the city, too, was not interested in trying to cheat any of the contractors.
“But we have no way of quantifying this larger bill for the work you say was necessary,” Maness said.
Abbott said Tuesday’s discussion made it apparent that everyone would have to engage in some give-and-take, including the city, whose final bill on the $840,000 renovation project is certain to go up.
Irwin said he would give up a portion of his take involving any subsequent change orders related to the roof. Typically, the general contractor receives a 15 percent commission on any change orders.
City Attorney Chuck Apt, with the commissioners’ blessing, urged Cogdill, Irwin and Fischer to meet posthaste with the Iola Library Board to set their course of action while the change orders are negotiated.
WITH considerably less fanfare, commissioners quietly approved their 2011 spending plan.
Commissioners expect to spend $24.965 million in 2011, compared to the $25.5 million in 2010.
The budget will be supported in part by an ad valorem tax levy of about 38 mills, a shade lower than what was assessed this year.
The mill levy may be altered slightly once the city knows its final assessed valuation, currently projected at $32.2 million.
Thus a single mill, equivalent to a tenth of a cent, will generate about $32,000 in property taxes — $1,225,901 in all.
At 38 mills, the owner of a $100,000 home would pay about $391 annually in property taxes to the city, not counting taxes spent to support USD 257, the county or Allen County Community College.
