LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council voted Tuesday to enter into a contract with an engineering firm to work on the next steps in the Downtown Lakeport Improvement Project.

Special Projects Coordinator Richard Knoll took to the council the proposed contract with Crawford and Associates, which calls for the firm to develop and complete civil engineering design services and plans for the project at a price not to exceed $164,835.

The first phase of the project was completed in the 2007-08 fiscal year. It included an improved streetscape – such as sidewalks, street trees and grates – on Third Street and Park Street east of Main Street, along with the construction of a public parking lot north of Lakeport City Hall.

The project's second phase was held up for reasons including the state's dismantling of redevelopment.

As a result, in November 2011 the council directed staff to reduce the scope and cost of the project, which now will cover N. Main Street from First to Fourth streets.

The city has $1.8 million in former redevelopment bond funds to pay for the second phase, which will include reconstructing and repaving several blocks of Main Street; relocating streetlights; widening sidewalks; installing new street trees, grates and street furniture; and installing new curb storm drain inlets, sewer and water piping infrastructure, according to city documents.

At its Oct. 7 meeting, the council considered a professional services agreement with George Rau and Associates of Ukiah for engineering services and construction plans for the second phase of the project, but ultimately voted to have staff put out another request for proposals.

City staff did issue that followup RFP, sending it out to 16 firms, and receiving back only one proposal in January, from Crawford and Associates, which has offices in Sacramento and Ukiah, Knoll said at the meeting Tuesday.

A consultant selection board composed of Knoll, city Community Development Director Kevin Ingram and interim City Engineer Mark Akaba reviewed Crawford's recommendation, with City Manager Margaret Silveira also involved in the review and recommendation.

Knoll said Crawford has a relationship with Rau and Associates, having acquired services of some of the Rau staff recently.

City staff had a “a fairly extensive negotiation” with Crawford and Associates and Cathy McKeon, formerly with Rau and Associates, who will be the primary engineer on the project, Knoll said.

McKeon was to have been at the council meeting Tuesday to answer questions but was in a vehicle crash in Ukiah on the way to the meeting. Knoll said she was not seriously injured.

Staff recommended that Crawford and Associates be hired at a cost not to exceed $164,835, which was higher than the amount the council considered from Rau last October but down by about $15,000 from Crawford's original proposal to the city. Knoll said city staff negotiated Crawford's original cost down from $179,899 to $164,835.

Since the city was dealing with only one proposal, Knoll and Silveira reported that they also did outreach to other design firms for the purpose of third party review, and were told that the proposed price was fair and that there could be risk in going out for another RFP.

Knoll said there is a rule of thumb in design engineering costs – they normally are equal to 10 percent of construction value.

With the city looking at a construction value of between $1.7 million and $1.8 million, Knoll said Crawford's proposal falls within that 10-percent industry standard.

Councilman Marc Spillman asked when the project would be done.

“We're still on track but currently we're a month behind” based on Crawford's schedule, Knoll said.

Based on the assumption that the council would approve the contract Tuesday night, Knoll said design planning would begin. Construction bidding would take place in August and September, with the issue notice of award to the contractor in early October, followed by agreement and insurance work that same month, and work on the project starting after that. Knoll said he was not sure if the construction could take place during the winter.

“Any time you go out for new RFPs, you run the risk of getting all-around higher bids,” said Councilwoman Stacey Mattina.

Mattina said she felt the city did pretty well in this situation, getting a more detailed bid in the process. Delaying a project also can guarantee a higher expense, she added, noting she felt the bid was fair and she was excited to move the project forward.

Mayor Martin Scheel said he could support it, agreeing with Mattina that “it would be nice to get the project going.”

Mattina moved to approve the contract with Spillman seconding, and the council voting 5-0.

In other business, the council held a brief public hearing in order to adopt a resolution adding supplement activities including accessibility upgrades – such as an elevator – to the Carnegie Library and street improvements to the city's current Community Development Block Grant contract.

The council also supported the creation of a new department secretary in the Administrative Services Department and approved a contract with Mercer-Fraser for the USDA Water and Wastewater Improvement Project.

Email Elizabeth Larson at [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.