Commissioners ask for narrower scope and cost breakdown on $200K Lake Drive design proposal

Commissioners discussed a professional services proposal from Keller & Associates to design improvements on Rigby/Lake Drive during the open meeting and signaled that they would not approve the current cost estimate without additional detail.

A county representative said the proposal covered about six‑tenths of a mile of roadway and included curb and gutter, potential sidewalk, bike path elements and bridge analysis. One commissioner said the $200,000 preliminary engineering figure appeared high compared with prior county designs that covered longer stretches. Commissioners asked for a more itemized breakdown of hours and tasks (survey, project management, concept design, structural bridge analysis) and for options that would eliminate unneeded elements to lower the contract price.

Staff and consultant representatives explained that bridges and a canal modeling exercise could drive significant design cost because of structural and hydraulic analyses; they suggested a targeted approach (a cursory bridge evaluation first; use of precast extensions where feasible) to cut engineering hours. The board directed staff to obtain a revised scope and a more detailed cost breakdown, coordinate a possible site visit with Keller’s lead engineer and return the item to a future agenda.

Commissioners also discussed procurement constraints: state procurement rules for engineering services require a qualifications‑based selection process rather than lowest‑bid contracting, but negotiation on scope and price after selection is permitted. The board asked staff to provide options and to include the city partner where right‑of‑way and design responsibilities overlap.