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10-28-1991 - Special ~ ...." CITY COUNCIL OF EDGEWATER SPECIAL MEETING OCTOBER 28, 1991 MINUTES Vice Mayor Louise Martin called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. in the City Hall Conference Room. ROLL CALL Mayor Tanya Wessler Councilman Kirk Jones Councilperson Louise Martin Councilperson NoraJane Gillespie Councilman Michael Hays City Attorney Krista Storey Acting City Manager Fred Munoz City Clerk Susan Wadsworth Police Chief Lawrence Schumaker Excused Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Vice Mayor Martin stated the meeting was called for change order No.1 to the contract with American Drilling Company for the Western wellfield project in an amount of approximately $15,465. City Engineer Gates D. Castle explained the problem the contractors ran into when they drilled test wells and found a make up of under sub surface with 80- 90% shell material, a 5-10 foot layer of clay material, and 2 foot layer of hard lime stone, then a 10 foot area, which is the problem area of unconsolidated limestone area that has a lot of caverns in it, and then underneath that is a 10 foot area of solid limestone. He said the problem is when they drill the main well, they'll have to drill through this cavernous area and will lose all the shell material from the upper levels into this cavernous area. He said the final makeup of the well will be a single casing down to the limestone and around the casing will be grout. Councilman Hays stated the shell will cave into that cavernous areas and cave in the site. Mr. Castle agreed and that materials will tend to fill in the void area. He said the solution recommended to correct this is to drill and set an outside casing down to this 2 foot layer of hard limestone and when they get this outside casing set, then they can dri 11 the main production well casing down through this and the outer casing will prevent shell material from collapsing into the well. He added it was not in the bid to put in this outer casing and the contractor is requesting the $15,000 change order to do this outside casing on 6 of the 7 wells and they didn1t run into that problem on one of the 7 wells. Utilities Director Terry Wadsworth introduced Mr. Joel Kimrey, professional geologist registered in the State, who has been at the well site with the drillers and St. Johns on this problem. Councilman Hays stated his concern was this was a bid project and how this would affect that. He said the people doing the work were obviously the low bidders and he asked if this should have been anticipated by those who submitted bids or do we have to take responsibility for it. Councilperson Gillespie stated she had that same question that a professional firm that1s low bidder would have anticipated possibility of double casing and asked if tests have been run. She added a firm of this caliber should have anticipated it. Vice Mayor Martin asked if tests were run before bidding. Mr. Wadsworth replied a test run was done a few years ago but this problem didn't show up there for one of a couple of reasons, there was a different method of drilling that may have prevented it from occurring, or perhaps the area where it is in. He noted they have 4 wells West of 95 and it didn1t occur there so it would not be reasonable to anticipate this would be a problem but in the future they could add it as an alternate or deductive in the bid. Vice Mayor Martin asked if this present bid was taken on previous workings of the other wells. Mr. Wadsworth replied information avail- able without knowing specifically what they would encounter subsurface-wise. '-' ..."" Mr. Joel Kimrev stated they wouldn't have anticipated this would have occurred in 6 out of 7 holes and for that reason specifications were not tightened up in that area but there was no reason to anticipate it. He added most people bid with this in mind. Councilman Hays pointed out their only option is not an option and you cannot put in a casing and take a chance of losing the well. Mr. Kimrey stated they could also lose equipment. Councilman Hays stated it could turn into a sink hole. Mr. Kimrey agreed. Mr. Castle stated the City's option is to go out and rebid the job and pay the mobilization to the new contractors and there's no assurance theylll get it done any cheaper by rebidding. Councilman Hays asked if there's any way they place themselves in jeopardy if they approve this. He said held like to go ahead with the project and get the wellfields done and there's no control of what's under the ground. He asked if they can award the bid from a legal standpoint. Ms. Storey explained in terms of this amount, if it had been included, could have been higher bid, the easy answer is probably any of them would have encountered the same situation and Council and staff evaluated the bid based on information available at the time and that's now their contractor and the others are not a concern at this point. Councilperson Gillespie noted the Consulting Engineer and City Engineer are recommending it and asked about a problem with St. Johns that Mr. Wadsworth mentioned. Mr. Wadsworth replied they're looking into the grouting requirements of St. Johns and he's talked about a variance that would decrease the amount of grout and the book calls for the entire surface to be grouted but they're looking into it. Mr. Kimrey stated they asked for a total ball park figure and they assumed 2 yards of grout and if more grout is required, the cost goes up but the only add on to the contract is price per foot for outer casing because they're covered in the contract on a per yard price for grout. Vice Mayor Martin asked if the other higher bidders knew about the problem and that's why they bid higher. Mr. Wadsworth replied no, and it would be a change order for all of them and the contractor agreed to the price for installing the pit casings, and he doesn't think it will be a significant difference in the material from any of the bidders. Councilman Jones asked where the money will come from. Mr. Wadsworth replied there's contingency allowances in the water projects and they don't like to run into a change order this early but it's because of the unknown. He noted there were 5 existing wells within a couple of thousand feet radius that didn't have a problem and there was an assumption they would not have a problem with these. Mr. Munoz asked if the bid included a possibility. Mr. Wadsworth replied it's a unit price on the grout. Mr. Munoz asked if he anticipated this problem on the specifications or was there recover for the additional casing. Mr. Kimrey replied he thinks the bids have a general clause that when you don't anticipate the need to install permanent casing, the driller will be responsible for furnishing pit casing as necessary but he may recover and he, and he believes others, bid that way. Mr. Munoz asked if it was part of the bid package with the right to recovery. Mr. Kimrey replied if they were doing this over, they could include it. Councilman Jones asked how long it will set them back. Mr. Wadsworth replied they can proceed with the work on some of the others and St. Johns should be resolved in a few days. Mr. Kimrey said it should not set the contract back very much. Councilperson Gillespie asked if they'll meet the bid time and can they complete at the anticipated date. Mr. Kimrey replied it's no problem. Councilman Hays asked if the casing is available or do we wait to have it shipped in. Mr. Kimrey replied he thinks it's on site. Councilperson Gillespie stated it will be two casings, with one inside the other. Mr. Kimrey explained they carry this pit casing around and use it over and over. Vice Mayor Martin asked if it's new casing. Mr. Kimrey replied yes, and normally if you don1t install it, you can use it over and over. Councilman Hays asked if itls necessary to be new casing for the outside. Mr. Wadsworth replied St. Johns will probably require it. There was brief discussion about casing inside casing and grouting. Mr. Kimrey stated the Water Management District will probably require it. Mr. Wadsworth explained it's a quality control. 2 Council Special Meeting Minutes October 28, 1991 ,/' "'" '<ftfJl1If Councilperson Gillespie moved to accept the recommendation of the Consulting Engineers in the amount of $15,465 as change order #1 contract American Drilling Company. Councilman Jones seconded the motion. Ms. Storey asked if they want the exact amount in the motion because it says about $15,465. Mr. Wadsworth explained the casing may be a different amount of feet. Councilperson Gillespie asked if it should be not to exceed. Mr. Kimrey said they can give the figures on casing. Ms. Storey stated she doesn't want to come back again with it. Councilperson Gillespie agreed she wants it as tight as they can get it. Mr. Kimrey stated casing price shouldn't exceed $10,400 and they assume 2 yards of grout for each hole but it could require more grout and could increase total price. Mr. Wadsworth suggested it be not to exceed on casing and grout per bid cost. Mr. Kimrey pointed out grout is covered in the contract by yard and about two-thirds is casing and the other one-third is grout. Ms. Storey explained her concern is the change order could be more than $15,465 and she doesn1t want to come back again and discuss it if the difference might be grout. Mr. Wadsworth said the grout is as required by St. Johns. Councilperson Gillespie amended her motion to remove the figure of $15,465 and insert casing cost of $10,400 and grout at bid costs per St. Johns' requirements. Councilman Jones seconded the amendment. Motion CARRIED 4-0. Councilman Hays moved to adjourn. Councilperson Gillespie seconded the motion. Meeting was adjourned at 3:20 p.m. Minutes submitted by: Lura Sue Koser 7-~~ / ATTEST: CITY."~ j. J/~:;z{ Approved th i s 18th day of November , 199-1--. ~~r r .. AY~-.L~' lr.ciLl>l ';y./ 3 Council Special Meeting Minutes October 28, 1991