MONROE - During closed session Tuesday, Monroe Common Council members decided to identify solutions for the City Hall flooring project that has left city staff dispersed throughout municipal buildings for almost a year.
Council members instructed staff to find a new company - or possibly retain the original one - to complete the project so workers can return to City Hall and the ongoing issue can be ended.
Problems began in October, when renovation plans to remove asbestos-based floor tiles were delayed when new flooring would not adhere to the floor. The project was meant to last from mid-August to the first week of October, but the unknown moisture issue persisted and negotiations between the firm hired by the city, KPH Environmental and Construction of Milwaukee, and council members ended in December.
KPH Contractor Dan Scharf met with aldermen on Dec. 20 with a change order request of $163,000 to recuperate money spent by KPH workers to rectify the adhesive issue and to finish the work in the original plans. Council members rejected the amount after citing an initial project estimate of $150,000. Both sides agreed to talk over other options during a special meeting on Dec. 27, but that gathering also yielded no results.
The city of Monroe declared KPH at fault. A letter sent to KPH requested that an independent company verify cleaning of the asbestos was performed properly. The insurance company responded to the request after investigation into the project. On July 5, City Administrator Phil Rath announced that the claim was denied by insurance company Liberty Mutual.
After requesting City Attorney Dan Bartholf and Rath seek advice from a contract attorney, the six council members present Tuesday agreed it was time to fix City Hall and move workers back to their intended offices.
Once convened into open session, Alderman Tom Miller moved that staff identify experts "to further the cause and re-BID the project." Mayor Louis Armstrong clarified that the "cause" was to move back into City Hall as quickly as possible.
Council members Jeff Newcomer, Richard Thoman, Rob Schilt, Ron Marsh, Michael Boyce and Miller all approved of the measure. Aldermen Brooke Bauman, Chris Beer and Charles Koch were absent.
Currently, the city has an option to retain KPH as the workers on the project. In a memo sent to Rath by the company on July 17, the work to complete the project would require an additional expense of $174,215, which would equate to roughly $324,215 in total project costs. If the city were to request the company "walk away" from the project, it would come at a cost of $67,165 paid to KPH.
Rath said the city will continue to consider each choice available and should make a decision soon, possibly during the first council meeting in August.
Council members instructed staff to find a new company - or possibly retain the original one - to complete the project so workers can return to City Hall and the ongoing issue can be ended.
Problems began in October, when renovation plans to remove asbestos-based floor tiles were delayed when new flooring would not adhere to the floor. The project was meant to last from mid-August to the first week of October, but the unknown moisture issue persisted and negotiations between the firm hired by the city, KPH Environmental and Construction of Milwaukee, and council members ended in December.
KPH Contractor Dan Scharf met with aldermen on Dec. 20 with a change order request of $163,000 to recuperate money spent by KPH workers to rectify the adhesive issue and to finish the work in the original plans. Council members rejected the amount after citing an initial project estimate of $150,000. Both sides agreed to talk over other options during a special meeting on Dec. 27, but that gathering also yielded no results.
The city of Monroe declared KPH at fault. A letter sent to KPH requested that an independent company verify cleaning of the asbestos was performed properly. The insurance company responded to the request after investigation into the project. On July 5, City Administrator Phil Rath announced that the claim was denied by insurance company Liberty Mutual.
After requesting City Attorney Dan Bartholf and Rath seek advice from a contract attorney, the six council members present Tuesday agreed it was time to fix City Hall and move workers back to their intended offices.
Once convened into open session, Alderman Tom Miller moved that staff identify experts "to further the cause and re-BID the project." Mayor Louis Armstrong clarified that the "cause" was to move back into City Hall as quickly as possible.
Council members Jeff Newcomer, Richard Thoman, Rob Schilt, Ron Marsh, Michael Boyce and Miller all approved of the measure. Aldermen Brooke Bauman, Chris Beer and Charles Koch were absent.
Currently, the city has an option to retain KPH as the workers on the project. In a memo sent to Rath by the company on July 17, the work to complete the project would require an additional expense of $174,215, which would equate to roughly $324,215 in total project costs. If the city were to request the company "walk away" from the project, it would come at a cost of $67,165 paid to KPH.
Rath said the city will continue to consider each choice available and should make a decision soon, possibly during the first council meeting in August.