Commission approves AKT Peerless contract for methane monitoring after questions about fees

The Mount Clemens City Commission voted to retain AKT Peerless as a subcontractor to Dickinson Wright PLLC to provide environmental consulting services tied to an ongoing methane monitoring project.

During public participation, resident Rick Block asked why a fee schedule in the contract document bore a January 2014 date and questioned a $220 hourly rate listed for a "principal environmental and energy service" and a $45 administrative support rate. City staff and the city attorney said the listing is a standard fee menu and that the contract contains a not-to-exceed amount for basic services; they also said the schedule may be a leftover date or a price sheet that has not changed. "That schedule that you're referring to is actually the fee schedule, and there might not have been a change since January 2014," one official said. The city attorney added that Dickinson Wright has negotiated with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on monitoring frequency and had successfully moved some requirements from quarterly to biannual reports in recent years.

City attendees said the contract has a fixed 'not to exceed' total for basic services and that additional personnel titles and hourly rates are listed in the event extra work is authorized. "Their contract is for a total not to exceed price of $33.06 50 for basic services," the city attorney read (transcript text as spoken). Staff indicated historically the city has not exceeded the proposed scope-based price. Commission roll call then approved retention of AKT Peerless.

Commissioners asked how long monitoring would continue and whether the biannual reporting meets DEQ requirements; officials said Dickinson Wright works directly with DEQ and is responsible for ensuring compliance. Commissioners also questioned the cost-plus language for reimbursable expenses (meals, lodging, postage) and were told that the language is standard in professional-service contracts.

The contract passed on roll call. The city manager and legal staff will monitor scope and expenses and report back if further service levels or costs change.