CORTLAND — City Council is taking early steps to prepare for a proposed safety services complex, approving legislation at Monday’s meeting that allows the city to solicit qualifications from firms that could help oversee the project and review costs.

“This would be for us to just have someone completely check everything and make sure that the pricing and everything they’re giving us is in our best interest,” Mayor Jim Bradley said.

Officials said the move does not commit the city to hiring outside consultants but would create a pool of options as planning advances, particularly as the project is expected to use a construction manager-at-risk model, which is new for the city.

“This is a construction manager-at-risk project, which we have actually never done, that I’m aware of, in the past,” Bradley said, adding the owner’s representative role is unique to that process.

The construction manager-at-risk (CMAR) model allows the city to bring a contractor into the project early to help guide design and pricing while guaranteeing a maximum cost, with the contractor responsible for overruns.

Bradley noted that while the decision to use CMAR procedures for the project was made prior to his time as mayor, “Generally speaking, CMAR is used often on complex projects, especially when a project requires tight budget and schedule control … which ours does and will.”

He said council’s action gives the city the option of seeking qualified consultants to act as owner’s representatives for the project but does not require hiring them. That decision will rest with council.

Council also approved seeking statements of qualifications from engineering firms for public improvement work, including engineering, surveying and construction administration services. Firms selected through the process could be used for specific projects in the future.

Councilwoman Chelsea Munroe asked whether projects would still come before council for approval if engineers were prequalified.

“For example, the paving project will require an inspector,” Bradley said. “That might be something that you would hire the engineer to do … but the project itself would come before council.”

CONTRACT APPROVAL AFTER THE FACT

Also Monday, council approved a contract after the work was already completed, correcting what officials said was a failure to bring the agreement forward last year.

“My predecessor should have brought this before council in at least the fourth quarter of last year,” Bradley said. “This is backwards, but I have no choice because now I have to correct things.”

Council approved an agreement with GPD Group for engineering and consulting services tied to the second phase of the city’s 2026 asphalt resurfacing program.

The contract, not to exceed $43,132, covers design, plan preparation, construction administration and inspection for work on Portal and Maplewood drives. Funding will come from a combination of street maintenance, permissive motor vehicle tax and road resurfacing program funds.

The project also includes support from the Ohio Public Works Commission, which is contributing 20.9% of the cost, up to $75,000.

The ordinance was needed to formally authorize the agreement so the vendor can be paid and the project can move forward on schedule later this year.

Bradley said council is expected to take up the payment at its next meeting as an emergency measure.

City Law Director Patrick K. Wilson said council should proceed with the contract and payment, noting the contractor acted in good faith and is due payment. He added the city has a long-standing relationship with the company.