Fort Mill approves $6.44 million guaranteed maximum price for Community Center renovation; $7.3 million budget amendment and bond plan advance

The Town of Fort Mill council approved an amendment to the Hood Construction contract that establishes a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of $6,437,548 for renovation of the 17,100-square-foot Fort Mill Community Center. Town staff presented the contract amendment and recommended council's approval.

"The amendment number 1 creates a guaranteed maximum price in the amount of $6,437,548," town staff stated during the presentation (speaker 15). Staff said the figure translates to approximately $376.46 per square foot and covers structural, roof, hazardous material abatement, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire-protection and interior and site improvements.

Council moved and approved the contract amendment by voice vote after a brief discussion thanking staff for additional detail in the revised submission.

The council also approved a budget ordinance to appropriate $7,300,000 of general fund balance for the Community Center project. Finance staff (Eric) told the council the appropriation covers construction costs, engineering and soft costs for the renovation.

In related financial business, the council held the first reading of a bond ordinance authorizing Fort Mill Public Facilities Corporation installment purchase revenue bonds in an amount not to exceed $22,000,000. Finance staff said those bonds are intended to fund Fire Station No. 3 in Mason's Bend and a portion of a new public works operations center on Banks Road; staff indicated preliminary project costs are likely to be just under $20 million and that a $25 million earmark from the state will cover a portion of the work. Council scheduled the second reading for March 23 and staff noted a typographical comma/number error in the ordinance text will be corrected prior to second reading.

Votes at a glance: the council approved the Hood Construction GMP amendment (item 6b), the budget amendment appropriation (item 6c, $7,300,000), and advanced the bond ordinance for second reading. The transcript does not record individual board vote tallies by name; the meeting recorded voice votes of "aye" for each item (tally details not specified in the record).

Next steps: the bond ordinance will return for a second reading and final vote on March 23 (as scheduled by staff). Renovation work on the Community Center is expected to begin shortly after permitting and is estimated to last just over eight months.