The Board of County Commissioners approved execution of a final change order for the 40th Street project during the Dec. 2 meeting after commissioners raised concerns about repeated cost increases.

Commissioner McCann asked when the project would stop generating change orders and noted the original design contract listed a value of $1,471,708.17. Chad Butzau, public works, said the latest change order covers two categories: construction-phase services (design oversight and certification that the project was built according to plans) and rate adjustments tied to a design contract that began several years earlier when rates were different.

Butzau told the board the ribbon-cutting has occurred and that this action effectively represents the final design/closeout payment to the engineering firm. Commissioners approved the change order on a voice vote.

What happens next: Staff marked the design contract with HDR as complete and said no further change orders are anticipated for that design contract; the project will move to normal maintenance and capital expenditure oversight.