Creekside Community Center Construction Hits Snag

City at an impasse with CDI Contractors, looks to move on to new construction managers.

Wade Phillips, Chief of City Operations in Harrison informed the mayor and city council on Wednesday of an impasse with CDI Contractors who were slated to be the construction manager for the indoor aquatic facility and the remodel portion on the Creekside Community Center project.

“CDI Contractors will no longer be involved with the project going forward,” Phillips said.

In an email he wrote, “As you recall, a formal advertisement and selection process was completed for the three main phases of the project (aquatics, remodel, and new gym).  The most appropriate step to bring construction managers on-board to replace CDI is to move on the companies that ranked 2^nd during the selection process.  Our other option would be to initiate a new selection process which would likely take 45 to 60 days to complete.”

Second in line for construction manager on the remodel of the remaining junior high school building and gymnasium is Butch May Construction who has already been awarded the contract for construction of the new gymnasium. Phillips said they will continue to work on that phase of the project, and he is working on a contract amendment with them to expand the scope of their work to include the additional remodeling. He expects that contract to be ready for review by the city council at the January committee and council meetings.

Second in line for construction manager of the indoor aquatic facility is Van Horn Construction in Russellville. “They presented a draft agreement to the City this morning [Wednesday] to take over as construction manager for the aquatics portion going forward,” Phillips said, “we have requested a couple modifications to the draft contract, but I anticipate that a final draft will be submitted by end of day today [Wednesday].”

Once received the contract will be presented to City Attorney Grant Ragland for review and if he has no issues with it the draft will be distributed the city council at their meeting on Thursday night. Phillips suggested the council give authority to the mayor to enter the contract with Van Horn Construction on Thursday night saying it would advantageous, “but it is not absolutely necessary.”

Phillips said that although the early change in construction managers is unfortunate, he expects that it will have little impact of the schedule of the project.