Travis County Commssioners Court
November 4, 2003
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Item A1
A-1 approve modification number 7 to contract number jc 020107 dm, renovation of the building at 5501 airport boulevard, the county building. Okay?
>> good afternoon. Roger, facilities management department. We have a change of order to architectural habitat in the amount of $127,086. And this is for about 26 items on the -- that particular change order. And the $127,000 is not related 100% to the county clerk. There's many items in there. It's for the project to pay for, and that's what we're asking the court approve this change order based on the funds from the project itself. Except for the -- there's two items out of this change order number 7, it's the camera, additional camera [indiscernible] and associated equipment that's been asked by the county clerk to have in her recording area, and just we did for the tax office. So she's saying that she can't pay out of that fund 17,500. There's some other area also including electrical and associated cabling, which is -- it's allocated to the record management area which is what we say 53,086. So if I add those two together, those two items, that comes up with about 70,586 attributed to the record area. But the other items, about more than 23 items in there, those are the project. So what we do is we can bundle all of them into one change order rather than have like 26 change orders, we put them all on one change order and go to the purchasing department for approval. Because we don't -- purchasing doesn't want us to really every little detail go change order, change order. So we bundle them all together. We need to get the project going and also the contractor really doesn't care what the source of funding is. That's how much to get the job done and we put it on one change order. I think there's misunderstanding that 127,000 is all of it for the county clerk. It's not.
>> that 127,086, is that correct, as far as totalling all the change orders and the necessary things that need to take place; is that correct?
>> uh-huh.
>> I have no problem with that, judge. If anybody has a question, I would like to move approval of a-1.
>> I just have one --
>> I pretty much understand. So coming from the records management fund is not 140,it's how much?
>> for this change order number 7, it's only 70,586, only for that change order number 7. There's other items coming up, you know, down the road would be the cabling, p.c.s., That's a different area.
>> but the amount in a-1 today is how much?
>> the change order is $127,086. Out of that --
>> because it's bundled.
>> how much of that are you recommending?
>> 70,586.
>> and there's that much in the records management fund?
>> in allocated reserves.
>> and the county attorney has certified these are legitimate expenses against the records management fund?
>> I can find no case law or attorney general opinion or anything that would prevent it.
>> so is this a legal -- is that a legal expense against a record management fund, specifically 028, your answer is yes.
>> should the Commissioners court and the county clerk agree that there would be an acceptable purchase and the fact is it would be acceptable in my eyes that that would be a fund purchase that could be made.
>> I also worked with p.b.o. To make sure that any of the items that we're willing to contribute to out of this fund specifically relate to records management projects and personnel. And so I'm being careful about it too.
>> I'm supporting this this time, but I gave my opinion during the budget. This came to my office Friday evening. Out of the clear blue. $140,000. I put it on as an emergency because it came from another Commissioner. It came with the indication that today was the last day to do it. Roger told me yesterday today was not the last day to do it. In my view, we ought to get more advanced notice of requests such as this. It ought to meet the agenda filing requirements. And then it ought not come as an emergency alone when in fact it is not. When it comes, it ought to come with certification from the county attorney's office it is a legitimate expense against a dedicated fund. And --
>> we hear you, judge.
>> I don't raise these things just to be mean spirited. Seems to me in order to make informed decisions we ought to do that, plus, we make sure every other department does. Any more discussion?
>> let me ask a question. Roger, out of the $127,000, what percentage -- what was the total amount that we were supposed to -- we had budgeted for for the improvements for this building? Remind me of that.
>> sure. It's three -- it's -- one second. I'll get to this number right here. We have the building renovation is $3,206,800.
>> okay.
>> that is the renovation. You also budgeted f.f. And e. And disaster recovery.
>> right, I remember that. I'm always a little skittish on change records. Change orders -- change orders. Change orders are the things that can hit you between the eyes. And $127,000 is a $3 million project is not a huge amount, but it's still -- I mean a big en@ugh one that it will get your attention. And i'll share, you know, some of the opinions with the judge. You know, it is always difficult -- you well know how much stuff we get. I mean you just -- and when you get it like on Friday or Thursday and it's just supposedly an emergency and you've got to react to it, I mean it's really difficult to deal with those things.
>> any more discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. Thank you all very much.
>> do we need the item that goes with it, judge?
>> number 34 is the amendments transfer.
>> move approval.
>> all in favor? That passes by unanimous vote also.
Last Modified: Tuesday, November 5, 2003 9:52 AM