qathet Regional District (qRD) board will consider some administrative initiatives regarding the construction of the resource recovery centre at the City of Powell River’s old incinerator site.
At the June 16 committee of the whole meeting, directors recommended to the regional board that chief administrative officer (CAO) Al Radke and/or his designate administer the construction management contract, and have the ability to accept recommended subcontractors, suppliers and service providers in accordance with the contract.
Electoral Area E director Andrew Fall said he wanted to make sure that with the transferring of duties to the CAO that he has the time to take this on.
“Someone has to do it and it has to be done,” said Fall. “I appreciate the CAO is willing to do it but I want to make sure it is not overburdening our CAO.”
Radke said he would reluctantly take on the responsibility. He said that with manager of asset management and strategic initiatives Melissa Howey leaving the qRD on June 24, somebody has to take on the responsibility.
“There won’t be a problem with it in my mind,” said Radke. “We have the parameters set up. Hopefully, we will get somebody on in good, short order and then I can pass the reins onto them.”
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said with all that is going on in the construction industry if the motion didn’t pass, he presumed it would take the regional district off schedule and he presumed it would have a fairly significant financial impact, because of the price of materials.
“How are we doing with our budget with the ever-changing costs of construction?” asked Gisborne. “I presume if this motion passes, that we can get on it and make sure we can try and stay ahead of the rising inflation and construction costs. Is that understanding correct?”
Howey said there are several large and important invitations for tender that are out on this project.
“Those are likely going to be the largest contracts, and so those tender invitations close on June 24, and at that point, I think we will get a better understanding of what the real costs are going to be,” said Howey.
City director George Doubt said he understands the request for proposals are the bids on several facets of the construction. His question was: when was the projected start of construction, and when was the completion of the construction expected?
Howey said construction is anticipated to begin three or four weeks after the awarding of that first batch of tenders. She said that could be before the end of July. She said the construction timeline would carry through until the end of 2023, which is the estimated completion of the process.
Electoral Area D director and committee chair Sandy McCormick said she does worry about staff workload. She said Howey’s leaving would put huge pressure on the CAO.
“Are you worried that there are things that are not going to happen as a result of the workload?” McCormick asked of Radke.
Radke said there will definitely be some aspects of the asset management department that will be slowed down or put on hold. He said there will be lots of emphasis put on the resource recovery centre to keep it going at full momentum.
“It’s not going to be easy times but we are all pulling together, so that’s important,” said McCormick.
According to a report from Howey, building permits have been received for the extended producer responsibility building and the transfer station building, plus the site services/ civil and electrical works. Building permits for the scale house and site office are expected before the end of June, according to Howey.
The regional board, in February, authorized the execution of a construction management contract for services and construction with MKM Projects Ltd. for the resource recovery centre and waste transfer station.
