From Monday's School Board Meeting Agenda:
Change Orders for High School Renovation Project – The following change orders are presented for Board consideration. All the change orders listed below (totaling $304,509) have been reviewed by the architect, PJ Dick and the District administration.
a. GC-72-151 to Nello for $10,603 to upgrade adhesive and primer,
b. GC-73-152 to Nello for $5,038 for extra masonry work for rain water conductors and fire extinguisher cabinets,
c. GC-74-153 to Nello for $8,275 to cut two openings in concrete walls,
d. GC-75-154 to Nello for $8,435 to modify pool edge,
e. GC-76-155 to Nello for $17,504 for soffit framing of breezeway,
f. GC-77-156 to Nello for $16,882 for door and hardware changes,
g. GC-78-157 to Nello for $15,757 to laminate corridor side of classroom walls,
h. GC-79-158 to Nello for $1,123 to add window in athletic facility,
i. GC-80-159 to Nello for $22,734 to reconstruct stairwells,
j. GC-81-160 to Nello for $8,509 for fire enclosure,
k. ME-11-161 to McKamish for $10,499 for cooling tower steel bracing and fire damper,
l. ME-12-162 to McKamish for $41,508 to utilize existing hot and cold water lines,
m. ME-13-163 to McKamish for $11,890 to add isolation valves,
n. PL-21-164 to Vrabel for $8,925 to modify existing floor drains, cooling towers and hot water heater pads,
o. PL-22-165 to Vrabel for $14,369 to maintain existing water feeds,
p. EL-41-166 to Farfield for $11,603 to change power feeds and add electric heater,
q. EL-42-167 to Farfield for $20,437 to modify power in athletic facility and relocate variable frequency drives,
r. EL-43-168 to Farfield for $23,954 to expedite permanent power to new buildings,
s. EL-44-169 to Farfield for $20,842 for miscellaneous electrical changes,
t. EL-45-170 to Farfield for $8,164 for new electrical rooms, and
u. EL-46-171 to Farfield for $17,458 for support for cord reels.
a. GC-72-151 to Nello for $10,603 to upgrade adhesive and primer,
b. GC-73-152 to Nello for $5,038 for extra masonry work for rain water conductors and fire extinguisher cabinets,
c. GC-74-153 to Nello for $8,275 to cut two openings in concrete walls,
d. GC-75-154 to Nello for $8,435 to modify pool edge,
e. GC-76-155 to Nello for $17,504 for soffit framing of breezeway,
f. GC-77-156 to Nello for $16,882 for door and hardware changes,
g. GC-78-157 to Nello for $15,757 to laminate corridor side of classroom walls,
h. GC-79-158 to Nello for $1,123 to add window in athletic facility,
i. GC-80-159 to Nello for $22,734 to reconstruct stairwells,
j. GC-81-160 to Nello for $8,509 for fire enclosure,
k. ME-11-161 to McKamish for $10,499 for cooling tower steel bracing and fire damper,
l. ME-12-162 to McKamish for $41,508 to utilize existing hot and cold water lines,
m. ME-13-163 to McKamish for $11,890 to add isolation valves,
n. PL-21-164 to Vrabel for $8,925 to modify existing floor drains, cooling towers and hot water heater pads,
o. PL-22-165 to Vrabel for $14,369 to maintain existing water feeds,
p. EL-41-166 to Farfield for $11,603 to change power feeds and add electric heater,
q. EL-42-167 to Farfield for $20,437 to modify power in athletic facility and relocate variable frequency drives,
r. EL-43-168 to Farfield for $23,954 to expedite permanent power to new buildings,
s. EL-44-169 to Farfield for $20,842 for miscellaneous electrical changes,
t. EL-45-170 to Farfield for $8,164 for new electrical rooms, and
u. EL-46-171 to Farfield for $17,458 for support for cord reels.
Really?
ReplyDeleteq. EL-42-167 to Farfield for $20,437 to modify power in athletic facility and relocate variable frequency drives,
r. EL-43-168 to Farfield for $23,954 to expedite permanent power to new buildings,
We're modifying power in an athletic facility that hasn't even been finished yet. Thought Celli, Dick and crew were professionals!
Expedite permanent power to new buildings. The project is something like 6 months behind schedule and we're now paying to "expedite" permanent power to new buildings. How about a penalty for not sticking to the time schedule?
At a minimum we should get a rebate from the 5 administrators that got bonuses for overseeing this project.
Next month should put us over the $2 million mark. I updated the running total.
ReplyDeleteElaine
l. ME-12-162 to McKamish for $41,508 to utilize existing hot and cold water lines,
ReplyDeleteTo use "existing" water lines?
I'm befuddled, if they already exist why are we paying $41,508 to use them.
Why aren't we using the water lines included in the original bid?
Wait, don't tell me. This is another one of those Celli oversights where water lines were inadvertently left out of the bid drawings.
Yeah, its always been my experience when working with contractors and they say something like, "we'll use your existing (fill in the blank)." it is usually followed with "it'll save you money!"
ReplyDeletecan we vote on this now? maybe, like obama, the SB will decide it really isn't smart to just start a fight without popular support.....
ReplyDeleteBlog readers need to be aware that there may be a difference between the list of change orders adduced at a discussion meeting, and the list of change orders that gets approved by Board vote at the subsequent business meeting. For example the list of change orders shown to the Board at the 10 June 2013 discussion meeting included PL-13-102 to Vrabel for $4,449.00. One week later, at the business meeting on 17 June 2013, that charge had disappeared. No one on the Board asked about it, nor did Ms. Klein mention it. Ms. Klein told me later that she removed the charge from the list during the interim period because she believed it "required more oversight before the Board was asked to approve it." Whether that charge will appear later is unknown at this time. This is NOT a criticism of Ms. Klein's redaction - she saw a questionable charge and rightly removed it. However, Ms. Klein should have pointed out the redaction during the business meeting, and the Board should be scolded for not paying attention to changes in the list of change orders that occurred in the one week interval between the discussion and business meetings.
ReplyDeleteAssuming the current round of change orders makes it to the Board unchanged for a final vote at the 14 September 2013 business meeting, EG's current total of $1,936,757.65 is correct.
Some mildly interesting statistics:
1. There have been a total of 170 approved change orders since the project began.
2. The average of all change orders (including credits) is $11,393.
3. The median change order value (including credits) is $6,056.50. A "median value" means that there are as many values above this number as there are below it.
6:10 PM "...left out of the bid drawings" ? Not likely we'll ever know, at least from the District. Were you aware that a resident's RTK to review the bid drawings in the District offices was denied by the District because the drawings allegedly contained security information the public was supposedly not permitted to see ? The resident assumed the drawings might have featured building entrance security details, and did not appeal the decision.
ReplyDeleteHowever, curiosity then got the better of him. He searched and quickly found three (3) sources where he could either view or purchase the complete drawing sets of architectural plans for bidding. Two (2) sources were free and one (1) charged $99.00, and he obtained the drawings and advised the school board in a subsequent public meeting. There was of course no reaction or response from the board, Super or solicitor.
The Super didn't want anyone to find his Bat Cave, 9:47.
ReplyDeleteThanks, RG. I hope you don't mind, but I would like to let Lebo Citizens readers know that Richard Gideon has invested hours in the change orders listings. He set up a very detailed accounting system and also caught that the amounts listed are now rounded. Thanks for all your hard work, RG.
ReplyDeleteElaine
10;40 AM, right on ! Even more likely his private water closet included in his very large private Bat Cave. That's where he will likely twitter and tweet to his hearts content and order pizza's. Keep watch for a coming Nello change order for hardening the site so that even the NSA cannot access it.
ReplyDeleteGood that Ms. Klein is apparently paying attention, but how did a questionable change order ever get that far.
ReplyDeleteIsn't the construction manager and Celli supposedily looking out for us?
Richard, how would we Ever know if the pulled Vrabel change order for $4,449.00 wasn't buried in another Vrabel change order under a diffent description.
ReplyDeleteRichard, regarding your comment calling for a board scolding, it'll never happen!
ReplyDeleteThe law if if the land is -- "See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Say No Evil!"
Even when caught with their pants down, they'll never admit they're feeling a draft.
With respect to a comment marked September 7, 2013 at 12:12 PM: I generally do not answer anonymous posters, but as it happens my wife asked me the exact same question, so I'm going to post my thoughts on the subject.
ReplyDeleteBack in August I exchanged a series of messages with Ms. Klein concerning the change orders, and the fact that I was out of balance by $4,449 with the figures the District was providing. But my total was HIGHER than what the District was showing by that amount. Up until the June set of CO's posted by EG I was in balance. Of course, I get the initial CO announcements from this Blog, and EG gets them from the District. I then listen to the podcasts of the business meetings - and that's the important meeting because the CO's are voted upon at that time - to make sure my list and EG's list match with the list of CO's being voted upon, as the CO's are read aloud prior to the vote. Here is the official list of Vrabel CO's from 18 March through 15 July:
3/18/13 PL-05-62 Vrabel Add ball valves to all trap primers that did not have valves indicated 4,412.00
3/18/13 PL-06-63 Vrabel Add piping under physics room in G-building not on drawings 3,098.00
3/18/13 PL-07-64 Vrabel Floor drains, trap primers and piping in the pool storage area 2,338.00
3/18/13 PL-08-65 Vrabel For air gaps as required 1,167.00
3/18/13 PL-09-66 Vrabel Roof drains and associated piping in G-building 8,264.00
3/18/13 PL-10-67 Vrabel Added floor drains in fine arts restrooms 2,224.00
3/18/13 PL-11-68 Vrabel Waste piping to added toilet room in G-building 1,757.00
3/18/13 PL-12-69 Vrabel Furnish and install water feeds to boilers and chillers 10,544.00
6/17/13 PL-14-103 Vrabel Install heat trace on vertical sanitary stacks in G-building 3,850.00
6/17/13 PL-15-104 Vrabel Provide plumbing to rooms described in RFIs 7 and 29 4,267.00
6/17/13 PL-16-105 Vrabel Added rain water conductor piping based on a louver conflict 2,511.00
6/17/13 PL-17-106 Vrabel Add master shower control valve in Athletic building restroom 2,970.00
6/17/13 PL-18-107 Vrabel Tie the existing rain water conductors in D-building to storm sewer 6,525.00
7/15/13 PL-19-142 Vrabel Add a circulating pump to Field House water heater 8,942.00
7/15/13 PL-20-143 Vrabel Install a bottle filler in the Athletic Facility Lobby 2,991.00
You'll note that "PL-13-102 to Vrabel for $4,449 to install gas turrets for Science classrooms" is not in the District's final listing. However, it WAS in the announced list of CO's on 10 June. Given the sequence number of CO, it had to have been incurred after March but before the middle of June, as PL-12-69 is dated 18 March, and PL-14-103 is dated 17 June.
Now if one believes Vrabel padded the charge BEFORE June one would have to believe that a conspiracy existed between Vrabel and the District to pad a charge in order to submit the same amount at a later time, so that it could be redacted, thus giving the appearance that the District caught it and thus saved the taxpayer $4,449. I reject this idea. It is highly unlikely that Vrabel would expose themselves to a potential fraud just so the District could put on a show. That leaves the possibility of a SUBSEQUENT Vrabel charge being padded by $4,449. Logically speaking, this has a higher possibility; but what is the probability of Vrabel trying to recoup $4,449 POST 15 June? - very little. Remember, Ms. Klein told me the charge would require more oversight before the Board would be asked to approve it. In other words, the charge hasn't necessarily been rejected; the decision on it has just been postponed. Would Vrabel pad a bill, and risk their reputation, in order to recover a "postponed" charge? I think not.
Therefore, I tend to believe Ms. Klein on this one; and many of you out there know I am NOT a fan of public education in general or the MLSD in particular. But I am a fan of logic and of facts, and I try and let the facts take me where they wish to go.
Mr. Gideon, it just seems that there are a lot of change orders that one would think would've been included in the original bids.
ReplyDeleteWater feeds to boilers. Sump pumps in elevator shafts. Electrical power feeds. Gas turrets in science labs. Upgraded adhesives, and so on and so forth.
They indded got the bid under the cap, but by the time the project is change ordered to completiion will it be.
Remember we were told it would be done for under $100 million.
We see a similar situation on the community pool project. The pool was to be $3.5 million. Bids come in at $4.4 million and then the pool climbing wall will be off bid because municipal workers will do it rather than contractors. Its still a $35,000 expenditure on the pool project. Money spent is... Money spent!
During the construction upfate, Tom Celli comments their won't be a HS pool like it in W. PA. He failed to mention that their isn't a more expensivw HS either.
ReplyDeleteBut then why should he care, he isn't paying for it
Do you this he'll be making a contribution to the fundraiser?
Blast from the past--
ReplyDelete"Bids for high school renovation too high for Mt. Lebanon board
By Matthew Santoni
Staff Reporter, 412-380-5625
Published: Tuesday, April 26, 2011,
The Mt. Lebanon School Board rejected contractors' bids on the proposed high school renovation last night, after the lowest bids came in $15.3 million above the construction manager's $92.5 million estimate.
In a special session that had been scheduled so the board could award a contract and break ground this week, board members were told that nearly every element of the six contractors' bids -- electrical components; plumbing and heating; and the steel for framing the new athletic and academic wings -- came in higher than construction managers at P.J. Dick estimated. Only asbestos removal came in lower than expected, at $5.4 million.
District officials announced last week that bids were higher than expected.
"We knew this job was complex; we knew it had its intricacies, so we had (our estimates) at the top of the charts," project manager John Taormina said. "These bids were off the charts.""
So they went and got a lower bids. Just a coincidence that the change orders are in the areas mentioned above? Riiiiigggghhhhhtttt.