Council approved a $3.7 million change order Oct. 27, taking the Public Safety Building renovation at 510 10th St. from $4.5 million to $8.2 million.

The renovation of the city’s Public Safety Building at 510 10th St. is set to cost almost twice the $4.5 million set aside for it in the 2021 SPLOST. Columbus Council approved a $3.7 million change order Oct. 27 that takes the construction contract from $4.5 million to $8.2 million.

Updated Nov. 2: the summary minutes of the Oct. 27 meeting record purchase items 14A to 14E, including this change order, as approved together. They do not give a vote count.

The contractor is Freeman & Associates of Columbus. The change order is purchase item 14D in the Oct. 27 meeting packet. Council approved it with the other purchase items on the agenda.

What the extra $3.7 million buys

The 2021 SPLOST set aside $4.5 million for the job. SPLOST is the special 1% sales tax voters approve for capital projects. Council hired Freeman & Associates for that amount on April 14, by Resolution 090-26.

During planning, the Police Department, the city’s facilities maintenance staff and the design team led by 2WR found more work they said was needed. The added scope is:

  • new roofing on all the structures
  • resealing every exterior caulk joint
  • replacing all the interior lights
  • telecommunication system upgrades
  • replacing all the toilets and sinks
  • new finishes throughout the building
  • new heating and air conditioning controls
  • replacing heating and air conditioning parts at the end of their life
Item Amount
Original contract $4,500,000
Change order 1 $3,700,000
New contract amount $8,200,000

The agenda item puts construction at “approximately $7.95 million” with the change order. It does not explain the gap between that figure and the $8.2 million contract.

Where the money comes from

The extra money comes from interest the city has earned on 2021 SPLOST collections, not from new taxes, according to the agenda item.

The item says Council “requested and approved” the $3.7 million at its Oct. 13 meeting. The draft minutes of that meeting, in the same packet, record a different step. Ryan Pruett, the city’s director of inspections and code, gave an update on the project. He set out the planned work, including roofing, plumbing, elevators, lighting, heating and air and technology. He “recommended using accumulated SPLOST interest earnings to cover the additional costs.” The summary minutes of Oct. 13 list that update as “No Action Taken.” Neither set of minutes records a vote on the money.

The building is the headquarters of the Columbus Police Department, which lists 510 10th St. as its address.

What it means for you

  • If you pay sales tax in Columbus, this is 2021 SPLOST money. The extra comes from interest on the tax, so it does not raise any rate.
  • If you visit the police headquarters, the agenda item gives no construction dates and does not say whether any services will move during the work.
  • If you have a view, contact your council member. Numbers and emails are on our who to call at City Hall page. Our property taxes page explains how the city budget is set.