Vernal approved three change orders and a directive on its 100 North contract

Vernal's council approved three change orders and a work change directive on Condie Construction's contract for the 100 North water and sewer project between June and September 2026, according to council minutes. ^[1][2][3][4]

The project is funded mostly through the state Community Impact Board, with grants and a loan. A separate story in this series covers the financing. ^[3][4]

Change Order 1: $557,817.97

On June 17, the council voted 5-0 to approve Change Order 1, which the minutes say would increase the contract from $4,839,632.30 to $5,397,450.27, a difference of $557,817.97. ^[1]

Staff said the change covered unforeseen sewer laterals, including a hospital sewer lateral, that required more manholes; a three-inch asphalt overlay instead of two inches; removal of a May 1 milestone after UDOT moved its overlay schedule; and two weather days. ^[1]

Staff said the additional costs were fully supported by supplemental Community Impact Board funding, and that Condie had agreed to honor its original asphalt unit prices despite higher petroleum costs, with a modest adjustment to the milling price. ^[1]

Change Order 2 and the engineering credit

On July 15, the council voted 5-0 to approve Change Order 2 for $51,816.90 and nine more contract days. The minutes give two parts: $31,120.61 and seven days to remove two abandoned water lines, and $20,696.35 and two days to correct a sewer elevation near 800 West where a manhole was a foot higher than the plans showed. Those two amounts add to $51,816.96, six cents more than the motion. ^[2]

The minutes say Jones & DeMille Engineering acknowledged the elevation error as a design issue and agreed to reimburse the city's local share through a credit on a future engineering invoice. The public works director said the firm would reimburse only the local match, and the remaining eligible costs would stay grant-funded. ^[2]

He also said the change order could reduce funding available for planned 3500 West work, and confirmed adequate funds were available. ^[2]

Change Order 3 and the directive

On Aug. 5, the four members present voted to approve Change Order 3 for $225,575, including $10,700 in alternates, to build a vault controlling flow into the city's one-million-gallon tank on the 3500 West transmission line, with an upgraded lid and fencing. Councilmember Robin O'Driscoll was excused. ^[3]

The public works director recommended approval subject to staying within available Community Impact Board funding. He said that if costs exceeded it, the city would need an internal funding source, could perform some work itself or could work with Condie on cost adjustments. ^[3]

On Sept. 2, the council voted 5-0 to approve a $98,430 work change directive after milling showed the road base was inadequate and Condie pulverized and recompacted it. The minutes say the project engineer identified about $70,000 in contract contingencies and underruns to offset the cost, leaving about $28,000 to $30,000 for city water and sewer funds. ^[4]