City awards $3.2M contract for Lakeside Park, beach work; bid higher than estimate
Lakeside Park in Marble Falls will transition quickly from the home of Walkway of Lights to a construction zone for a sandy beach along Lake Marble Falls. The Marble Falls City Council awarded a $3.2 million contract during its regular meeting Dec. 4 for Lakeside Park Improvement Project Phase 1A. Staff photo by Jared Fields
STAFF WRITER JARED FIELDS
Marble Falls City Council awarded a $3.2 million contract to Myers Concrete Construction for Lakeside Park Improvement Project Phase 1A, which includes a sandy beach, during its regular meeting Dec. 4.
However, the bid is higher than the city’s estimate of about $3.04 million. The current balance of bond funding from September is about $2.8 million, leaving a deficit of around $510,000.
The council voted unanimously to award the contract at the full amount and authorize staff to work with the contractor to engineer the project down to the budgeted amount.
Email correspondence before the meeting between the city and Myers Concrete Construction shows a willingness to reach the budgeted amount.
“Myers acknowledges that base bid of $3,238,560.00 will be awarded and will have change orders following to reduce the contract to around $2.8 million. We look forward to working with you,” wrote Randy Myers on Nov. 29.
Robert Moss, Marble Falls Parks and Recreation director, told City Council during the meeting some of that would be achieved by reducing lighting and electrical work originally included in the project.
“Frankly, they’re enhancements. They’re nice to have. We hate to see them go, but something has to give,” Moss said.
The lighting could be done by the city at a later date, Moss added.
The Phase 1A project includes public restrooms downtown, improvements to the Johnson Park and Hays Addition Park boat ramps, public trails, and the beach along Lake Marble Falls.
The contract timing coincides with the Lower Colorado River Authority’s plan to lower Lake Marble Falls for about eight weeks beginning Dec. 30.
Staff will now work with the contractor and engineer to set construction meetings to be ready for work to begin on the beach while the lake is lowered.
“They’ll be working to get all that done so they can mobilize and get started,” City Manager Mike Hodge.