TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Brian Crawford, Municipal Services Director
PREPARED BY: Gretchen Sedlacek, Assistant Management Analyst
SUBJECT:
title
Murrieta Children's Library Expansion Project - Amendment to Public Works Construction Contract with R.C. Construction Services, Inc.
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ABSTRACT
The proposed contract amendment with R.C. Construction Services, Inc. will increase the total contract award and appropriate the additional funding from approved CIP projects so that the additional scope of work can be completed efficiently, minimizing disruptions to library operations, and achieving cost savings by having the current contractor complete the work.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Approve an amendment to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/26 Capital Improvement Plan Budget to transfer from CIP Project Nos. 21025 and 21026 for flooring and concrete work, respectively, to CIP Project No. 21027, the Children's Library Expansion Project;
Approve Amendment No. 1 to the contract with R.C. Construction Services, Inc. to increase the not-to-exceed amount by $810,006.34 for for a new not-to-exceed total of $5,998,606.34, plus a 15% contingency; and
Authorize the Mayor to execute all necessary documents.
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PRIOR ACTION/VOTE
On June 3, 2025, a Joint Resolution was adopted by the City Council and the Boards of Directors of the Murrieta Library District, Murrieta Community Services District, and the Successor Agency to the Murrieta Redevelopment Agency, approving the Capital Improvement Plan Budget for Fiscal Year 2025/26 and approving the Fiscal Years 2025/26 to 2029/30 Capital Improvement Plan. Resolution Nos. 25-4836, MLB 25-200, CSD 25-284, RSA 25-34 (Vote: 5-0).
On August 19, 2025, the City Council approved an amendment to the FY 2025/26 Operating and Capital Improvement Plan budgets to provide an additional budget appropriation for Capital Improvement Project No. 21027; appropriated $3,500,000 from the Measure T Sustainability Reserve Account; Adopted Resolution No. 25-4884 entitled: A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Murrieta, California to Approve an Interfund Loan up to $3,500,000 from the Measure T Fund to the Library Development Impact Fee Fund to Partially Fund the Children's Library Expansion Project (CIP 21027); Approved a Second Amendment and Change Order to Purchase Order P03681, SVA Architects, Inc., in the amount of $55,603 for architectural design services and out-of-scope work; Awarded the construction contract for the Murrieta Children's Library Expansion, Capital Improvement Project No. 21027, to the lowest responsible bidder, R.C. Construction Services, Inc., in the amount of $5,188,600, plus a 15% contingency; and authorized the Mayor to execute the agreements (Vote: 5-0).
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
This item aligns with the City Council goal of: coordinating and delivering responsive, effective community services relating to priority Tier 1.
DISCUSSION
During construction of the Children's Library Expansion Project, staff identified several additional site and facility improvements that would address existing safety, accessibility, drainage, and facility maintenance needs. The proposed contract amendment with R.C. Construction Services, Inc. (RCC) would allow this work to be completed concurrently with the ongoing project, minimizing disruption to Library operations and improving overall project efficiency.
The proposed concrete improvements include repairs and replacement of deteriorated walkways surrounding the Library that pose safety hazards and are barriers to accessibility, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Several walkway segments do not meet current accessibility standards and require corrective work to improve ADA compliance and provide safer pedestrian access for Library patrons and staff. Completing these improvements as part of the current construction effort will address longstanding maintenance and liability concerns while enhancing public access to the facility.
The amendment also includes drainage improvements on the south side of the Library. Existing site conditions cause stormwater to drain toward the Library rather than away from it. During rain events, water has accumulated adjacent to the building and has infiltrated interior areas of the Library. The proposed improvements will correct grading and drainage deficiencies, direct runoff away from the building, and help protect the facility from future water damage and associated maintenance costs.
Staff also identified an opportunity to replace flooring within the existing portions of the Library to match the new flooring to beinstalled in the Children's Area as part of the approved project. The Library's flooring is almost 20 years old and needs to be replaced. Completing the flooring replacement now would provide a consistent appearance throughout the facility and avoid the need for a future project that would likely result in additional mobilization costs, operational disruptions, and higher construction pricing.
Staff recommends using RCC for the additional work because the contractor is already mobilized on-site and familiar with the project conditions, construction sequencing, and facility operations. Performing the work under the existing contract provides efficiencies in scheduling and coordination, reduces administrative costs, and achieves economies of scale that would not be available if the work were deferred to a later date. Completing the work concurrently with the current project is the most cost-effective and operationally efficient approach for the City.
The Library Expansion project team collaborated closely with the City’s construction management consultant and the contractor to minimize the impact of this additional scope of work on daily operations. However, to safely move materials, prepare surfaces, and install the new flooring, the library must close for two weeks. To reduce inconvenience for Library patrons, this closure is scheduled during the natural lull between the end of the popular Summer Reading Program on July 17 and the start of the school year. The detailed construction schedule runs from July 18 through August 1, allowing the Library to reopen to the public on Monday, August 3. During this period, the contractor will also repair and replace the surrounding concrete walkways. This timeline maximizes efficiency by leveraging necessary pedestrian restrictions to complete both projects simultaneously.
PUBLIC NOTICING
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
CEQA AND REGULATORY OVERVIEW
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
FISCAL IMPACT
If the amendment to this contract is approved, the total contract amount will increase by $810,006.34, for a revised total of $5,998,606.34. The value of a 15% contingency for the contract is $899,790.95. With this amendment, the estimated project costs for the Library Expansion project, including other ancillary costs, will increase to a combined total of $8,915,283.95.
Funding is budgeted for CIP Project 21025 for the flooring and CIP Project 21026 for the rain drainage improvement, and can be transferred to CIP Project 21027. Staff recommends an amendment to the FY 2025/26 Capital Improvement Plan by transferring from CIP Project Nos. 21025 and 21026 to CIP Project No. 21027, the Children's Library Expansion Project:
|
CIP |
Amount |
|
21025, Library Flooring & Walls |
$575,000 |
|
21026, Library Concrete/Rain Mitigation |
$375,000 |
|
|
|
|
Total |
$950,000 |
ATTACHMENTS
ATT 1 - Amendment 1 with Cost Proposals