Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department to enter into contract with Burgess & Niple, Inc. to provide design services for the Big Walnut Trail - Winchester Pike to Nafzger Park Project. The contract amount is $598,468.00, with a contingency of $34,000.00, for a total of $632,468.00 being authorized by this ordinance.
The southern reach of the Big Walnut Trail is developing into one of the region’s most scenic and accessible greenways in Central Ohio, and will put thousands of residents of the Mid East and South East Communities within a few minutes of access to the trail network. This southern 2.5 mile trail segment will begin at its current terminus at Winchester Pike, traveling along the greenway corridor to Helsel Park, South Hamilton, and Refugee Roads. The trail will end at Nafzger Park. Neighborhood connections are planned to the Blacklick Estates, Eastland, Cross Creek Village, and Walnut Heights. The Stage 1 design contract is for professional services, including preliminary trail engineering, environmental assessments, cultural assessments, conceptual trail head design, surveying, and public engagement.
Vendor Bid/Proposal Submissions (Office of Diversity and Inclusion designation status):
Bids were advertised through Vendor Services and Bonfire, in accordance with City Code Section 329, on May 30, 2023 and received by the Recreation and Parks Department on June 23, 2023. Bids were received from the following companies:
Burges & Niple, Inc. (MAJ)
EMH&T (MAJ)
VS Engineering (MBE)
EL Robinson Engineering (MAJ)
MS Consultants (MAJ)
Of note, professional services contracts are quality based selections and not based on price. Costs were not requested nor were they part of this evaluation.
In accordance with City Code, a selection team evaluated the proposals and recommended Burgess & Niple, Inc. be selected to perform the work. The firm was chosen based on their referenced projects, experience, qualifications, availability, timeline, and project approach.
As part of their bid, Burgess and Niple, Inc. has proposed the following vendors to fulfill the Office of Diversity and Inclusion project goal:
ASC Group, Inc. (WBE)
NEAS (MBE)
Murphy Epson (WBE)
Lanham Engineering (WBE)
Certification of the MBE’s and WBE’s being proposed are in good standing at the time the bid is being awarded.
Principal Parties:
Burgess & Niple, Inc.
330 Rush Alley, Suite 700
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Steve Thieken, (614) 459-2050
Contract Compliance Number: 004425
Contract Compliance Expiration Date: February 9, 2024
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested in order to meet the December 15, 2023 commitment of design commencement required by the state grant funding from Ohio Department of Natural Resources that is funding the future construction of the project.
Benefits to the Public: This project will improve access to trails and is one of the top rated priorities noted by Columbus residents. It will also provide connectivity for residents in northeast and southeast area communities by extending existing regional trail access to several parks and neighborhoods.
Community Input/Issues: During this phase of the project, community outreach will be conducted via public engagement meetings for residents and other relevant stakeholders.
Area(s) Affected: Mid East (57), South East (65)
Master Plan Relation: This project supports the Recreation and Parks Master Plan by improving access to trails and greenways corridors. It provides equitable and safe access to the trail system for under-served communities.
Fiscal Impact: $632,468.00 is budgeted and available from within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702 to meet the financial obligations of this contract.
Title
To authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to enter into contract with Burgess & Niple, Inc. for the Big Walnut Trail - Winchester Pike to Nafzger Park Project; to authorize the transfer of $632,468.00 within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund, to authorize the amendment of the 2023 Capital Improvements Budget; and to authorize the expenditure of $632,468.00 from the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($632,468.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to enter into contract with Burgess & Niple, Inc. for the Big Walnut Trail - Winchester Pike to Nafzger Park Project; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the transfer of $632,468.00 within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the amendment of the 2023 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 1711-2023 in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this and future projects; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the expenditure of $632,468.00 from the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Recreation and Parks Department in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into contract with Burgess & Niple, Inc. in order to meet the December 15, 2023 commitment of design commencement required by the state grant funding from Ohio Department of Natural Resources that is funding the future construction of the project, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare and, NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Recreation and Parks be and is hereby authorized to enter into contract with Burgess & Niple, Inc. for the Big Walnut Trail - Winchester Pike to Nafzger Park Project.
SECTION 2. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
SECTION 5. That the transfer of $632,468.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized between projects within the Recreation and Parks Bond Fund 7702 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That the 2023 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 1711-2023 is hereby amended as follows in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this ordinance and future projects.
Fund / Project / Project Name / Current Revised Authority / Current Remaining Authority / Change / Amended Revised Authority / Amended Remaining Authority
Fund 7702 / P512023-100000 / Hilltop Camp Chase Trail Connection - Valleyview and Eureka (Voted Carryover) / $0 / $0 / $5,416 / $5,416 / $5,416 (to match cash)
Fund 7702 / P512023-100000 / Hilltop Camp Chase Trail Connection - Valleyview and Eureka (Voted Carryover) / $5,416 / $5,416 / ($5,416) / $0 / $0
Fund 7702 / P517000-100000 / Opportunity Projects - Misc. (Voted Carryover) / $1,349,038 / $1,349,038 / ($627,052) / $721,986 / $721,986
Fund 7702 / P512036-100000; Big Walnut Trail - Winchester Pike to Nafzger Park (Voted Carryover); $0 / $0 / $632,468 / $632,468 / $632,468
SECTION 7. For the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $632,468.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary to pay the cost thereof, be and is hereby authorized from the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702 in object class 06 Capital Outlay per the accounting codes in the attachments to this ordinance.
SECTION 8. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.