Belleville city hall (File photo: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
The bid by Shoalts and Zaback, for design of the Belleville police station has exceeded the $1 million price the firm had proposed to the city more than a year ago.
At city council Tuesday, a report to council explained why expenditures jumped more than $280,000 above the single bid offered.
In its report, the company said that three factors resulted in the increase for the project.
They included a change in the scope of work, including furniture selection, interior design, and security system.
There were more expensive mechanical and electrical engineering consultants and the cost of managing and administrating the $150,000 cash allowance.
Councillor Kelly McCaw told council it was irresponsible that council was even asked to waive the purchasing bylaw.
CAO Rick Kester told council that Zaback has explained all the expected services to be provided and associated costs.
Kester said it was recommended the bylaw be waived to “get the project going.”
Timeline for Belleville’s new police station
A Belleville councillor has called for a “better defined timeline” on progress on a new police station for the city.
Last night Councillor Paul Carr told city council he’s getting calls from residents on the issue.
Property manager Joel Carr-Brant told council it is “tough to get the dates nailed down” but he now expects to make a report available each Friday before council meetings.
Chief Administrative Officer Rick Kester says there will be reports much more often at the design and the floor plan stages.
Belleville has decided to cut some grass for the province of Ontario, but not without objections from some councillors.
Councillor Paul Carr said spending the extra $9,600 to cut the grass at the Highway 62 and 37 interchanges at Highway 401 “speaks to the image ” the city wants to portray.
Carr said the province does not cut the grass and it’s a “disaster ” for a city that wants to attract tourists to a casino and a professional hockey team.
He said the city spent millions of dollars on the Bay Bridge but thousands more cars use the Highway 401 interchanges.
Council approved the expenditure, with Councillors Jackie Denyes, Mike Graham and Garnet Thompson voting against.
