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VIENNA - Vienna City Council approved $98,000 in additional professional services Thursday for a performance stage and restroom facilities at Spencer's Landing, bringing the total value of three related service orders with The Thrasher Group to $248,000.
Council approved a $53,000 service order for bidding and construction administration. The amount includes $8,000 for bidding services and $45,000 for construction administration and periodic inspections.
A separate $45,000 service order includes $10,000 for additional geotechnical drilling and $35,000 for the design and permitting of a concession and restroom building near the planned performance stage.
The city previously approved a $150,000 service order covering surveying, mapping, geotechnical work, design and permitting for the stage and an initial restroom building near the parking lot.
Sam Rich, land development division lead with The Thrasher Group, said the $53,000 service order will cover bidding and construction administration for all three structures if they are included in one construction contract. The arrangement will allow the city to avoid paying additional bidding and construction administration fees for the concession and restroom building.
Rich presented a preliminary floor plan for the proposed 30-by-60-foot concession and restroom building. The concept includes men's and women's restrooms on opposite sides of a central entrance, with nine toilets or urinals on each side.
The building would be divided so the city could keep a smaller portion of the restrooms open for daily use and open the entire facility during large events. The concession area would have two windows facing the event field.
"We're close square-foot-wise to where I thought we would be on this," Rich said.
Rich said the permanent restrooms would reduce the number of portable toilets needed during events, although additional temporary facilities could still be necessary for crowds of about 3,000 people.
The design remains preliminary, and the building could be rotated or moved as plans for the site develop. Rich said designers are considering how the building, performance stage and a potential future canopy would work together.
The canopy would likely need about 20 feet of clearance to preserve views of the stage from the rear of the lawn. Designers will also seek a structure with as few columns as possible to limit visual obstructions.
"We don't want to come back and tear pavement off two years from now when you get money to do the next phase," Rich said.
Councilman Tony Morrison asked whether the design work had advanced far enough for the city to begin seeking grants or matching funds.
"Once we had that package ready for bid, it was at that point we felt like we might be able to start looking for some grants that were available for this kind of development," Morrison said.
"With what we have now, you guys could go out and apply for funding," Rich said. "We could give you cost estimates."
The Thrasher Group anticipates bidding the stage, restroom and concession building as a single general contract in October. The service order provides for construction progress meetings about every two weeks, although the frequency of on-site meetings could change depending on weather and construction activity.
Council also awarded the city's on-call master electrician services contract to Jimmie Harper Construction Inc. The city received proposals from Jimmie Harper Construction and Pro 1 Electric and compared the cost of a four-hour service call, labor rates, additional charges, response times, staffing, qualifications and experience. According to the resolution, Jimmie Harper Construction submitted the lower-priced responsive proposal and received the more favorable evaluation score.
The open-ended contract covers recurring electrical repairs and maintenance at city buildings, parks and other infrastructure. It has an initial one-year term with two optional one-year renewals.
The contract does not guarantee the company a minimum amount of work, is not exclusive and cannot exceed $500,000 over its life and any extensions. Individual expenditures will remain subject to available funding and city purchasing requirements.
Council also heard the first reading of an ordinance revising portions of the city employee personnel manual.
The proposed changes would establish two weeks of paid parental leave following a birth, adoption, foster placement or surrogacy arrangement. An eligible employee who gives birth could receive up to four additional weeks of paid childbirth recovery leave, for a maximum of six weeks.
Eligibility would be limited to full-time, regular employees who have worked for the city for at least 12 months and completed at least 1,250 hours during the previous 12 months.
Other changes would establish vacation carryover limits ranging from 40 to 240 hours based on years of employment, authorize the mayor to grant special administrative leave and revise the city's firearms policy.
The firearms provision would generally prohibit employees from carrying weapons while working or in city-owned buildings and vehicles, with exceptions for authorized law enforcement officers, elected officials lawfully carrying firearms for self-defense and firearms legally stored out of view in locked, private vehicles.
No one spoke during the public forum. Councilman Jim Leach was absent.
Council's next regular meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 10.
Gwen Sour can be reached at gsour@newsandsentinel.com.