Contract amendments awarded for project

Gale objects, citing proposed tax hike

The proposed items related to the One Montgomery Plaza ReSkin Project totaled more than $2 million.

NORRISTOWN » Contract amendments for the One Montgomery Plaza ReSkin Project caused some disagreement recently among members of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners.

The proposed contract amendments for items related to the project totaled more than $2 million.

Elected officials first authorized $23,364,700 in contracts for services related to the reskin project in February 2018. The county’s assets and infrastructure department requested 1,795,764 for “contracted services” be issued to the following firms:$2

• $1,130,174 to TN Ward Company, of Ardmore, for general contracting due to “changes in design, office revisions, emergency roof repairs, additional space fit outs, and additional material costs. The revised contract now stands at $21,282,474.00.

• $208,422 to Cooks Service Co. Inc., of Avondale, for HVAC services to cover “duct design modifications, additional space fit outs, and office revisions.” The updated contract amounts to $1,490,822.00

• $155,059 to Stan-Roch Plumbing, of Zion Grove, Pa ., for plumbing and fire protection construction for “office revisions, gas pipe re-working, additional space fit outs, and installation of rail guards for trench drains.” The revised contract is now valued at $380,059.

• $302,109 to Hobbs & Company, of Boothwyn, for electrical contracting. The “amendment provides for exterior lighting revisions, security cabling, additional space fit outs, and office revisions.” The contract revision now stands at $2,007,109.00.

Additionally, a $278,223 contract amendment with Skanska USA Building Inc., of Blue Bell, provides for “construction management” services related to the ongoing project.

A $762,180 contract was first approved in February 2018 for “construction manager services for the One Montgomery Plaza Facade project,” and later authorized another $960,112 for “additional time and services required to complete the project,” the contract states.

The county’s assets and infrastructure department requested an additional $278,223 for “an extension of services through the full construction of the project in April 2021, reflecting the extended duration of the ReSkin project,” the contract states. However, officials are “in [the] process of working through cost sharing agreements across all construction contractors.”

The revised agreement now stands at $2,000,515, according to the contract.

Despite opposition from Commissioner Joe Gale, those amendments passed in a 2-1 roll call vote during the Nov. 19 meeting.

Gale asserted the price tag of the amendments and the project overall is far too high.

“So again an example [of] how our capital improvement projects are entirely too expensive and this is why we are facing a tax increase,” Gale said.

It appeared that Gale was referencing the recently proposed 2021 budget, which included a 5 percent real estate tax increase.

Montgomery County Commissioners’ Chairwoman Valerie Arkoosh called on Assets and Infrastructure Department Director Thomas Bonner for clarification on the financial status of the project.

“Just to reiterate that project, the reskin project is still fully within budget?” Arkoosh asked.

“That’s correct,” Bonner said.

“And these, if not all of these changes, were somewhat anticipated in the original conception of the project?” Arkoosh asked.

“That’s correct,” Bonner replied.

Gale also took issue with two other big-ticket items.

A contract not set to exceed $869,200 with Skanska USA Building Inc., of Parsippany, N.J. for “construction management services for buildings at the EOC center.”

A request for proposal was previously issued and viewed by 72 companies. Two submitted bids for the job.

“I believe a ware - house shouldn’t cost over $800,000, let alone just the construction management portion of it, and the fact that it’s over $6 million is very hard to justify when asked by a constituent that is being hit with a tax increase,” Gale said.

Another was a $125,000 agreement with Mike Kobithen Roofing & Insulation, Inc., of Churchville, Pa., to amend a previously approved contract for work to repair the roof of a maintenance building in Worcester.

A $268,814.91 contract with the Bucks Countycompany was authorized in October 2019. However, an additional $125,000 was needed for “field condition changes necessitating additional material replacements beyond what was anticipated in the design documents,” the contract states.

The revised agreement now stands at $393,814.91.

“I would have paid less for the building if I knew that the roof would cost nearly $400,000,” Gale said.

In other business, the county’s trio of elected officials endorsed several other six-figure contracts relating to the departments of adult probation, controller and board of assessment.

A $546,312 agreement with Resources for Human Development Inc., of Philadelphia, covers consulting services for a previously solicited request, Court Ordered Drug and Alcohol Mental Health Evaluations and Treatment Services for use by Adult Probation and Children and Youth.

This action, which was for a two-year term with two optional annual renewal terms, according to the contract, provides for a renewal. The county’s adult probation department opted for “the first available contract renewal term for the 2021 term” for the Philadelphia-based firm.

A 10-year agreement not set to exceed $400,000 with Pension Technology Group, of Boston, provides for a “pension administration system.” According to the contract, the services, which are priced at $40,000 per year, includes “implementation, hosting and support.”

The county issued a request for proposal for the aforementioned item in which 11 companies accessed it and four firms entered a bid, according to the contract.

A $381,495 agreement with Tyler Technologies,

Inc., of Moraine, Ohio, covers the “continuation of service for the iasWorld Software maintenance & hosting service.”

According to the contract, the firm provides for software maintenance and hosting, and the agreement will be valid from Jan. 1, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2021.

A three-year agreement with Clifton, Larson, Allen LLP, of Minneapolis, Minn., not exceeding $354,376 covers “accounting services.” The county’s controller’s office released a request for proposals for the contract in which 17 companies where 17 firms viewed it and six companies submitted bids.

A $285,000 contract with Redwood Toxicology Laboratory, Inc., of Santa Rosa, Calif., provides for “toxicology services.” The agreement, which is expected to be valid from Jan. 1, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2021, requires $265,000 for adult probation and $20,000 for the department’s office of children and youth.

According to the contract, “in strict accordance with Act 31, 1971, which precludes the need for advertised bidding.” However, the county’s adult probation department “requested to use a Sourcewell cooperative contract for toxicology testing services and supplies.”

The next Montgomery County Board of Commissioners meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Dec. 17.