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PARKERSBURG --The Parkersburg Utility Board on Tuesday unanimously approved a policy allowing the manager to approve and execute change orders within 1 percent of a project's total cost.
Last month, the board approved bids for four water system improvement projects totaling $19 million. In the past, each project has had its own guidance for what changes to the contract can be authorized by the manager and which must come before the board.
"Let's put in in the policy so we don't have to do it (again) in the future," PUB Manager Eric Bennett said during the board's regular meeting Tuesday at its administrative offices.
Waiting too long to authorize a change order could increase the cost further or delay a project, he said.
"If you delay the contractor, you can get more problems," he said.
Bennett's proposal would allow him to sign off on change orders that increase or decrease the project cost by no more than 1 percent of the total budget, ranging from $2,500 on a $250,000 contract to $100,000 on a $10 million contract. Approval guidelines would be determined by the board when a contract of more than $10 million is awarded.
The amount of time the change would add or subtract to the project would also be considered, from 10 or fewer days for a $250,000 contract to 30 or fewer days for a $10 million contract.
Board member Paul Hoblitzell asked why a percentage was used on the amount instead of a flat number.
"What if that isn't enough?" he said.
"Well, until you get to the big ones, and then it's too much," Bennett said. "To me, these are fair numbers."
If a proposed change order exceeded the threshold but time was still a factor, an emergency board meeting could be called, Bennett said. He said he could also get a consensus from board members informally and go forward, but a vote would still need to be taken at a later date.
Parkersburg Mayor Tom Joyce, the PUB chairman, said he found the policy reasonable.
"It allows for the manager to keep a project on schedule," he said.
"It's necessary," Hoblitzell agreed.