Chelan’s new Capital Projects Manager joins Lakeside Trail team

CHELAN – The city has wasted little time putting its new Capital Projects Manager (CPM), Rox Hoskins, to work on her first assignment, the Lakeside Trail project. The nearly $4 million multi-use pedestrian and bicycle route from Woodin/Webster to Water Street contract was awarded to low bidder, KRCI, at the June 4 council workshop. That event conveniently dovetailed with the city’s hiring of an internal CPM. 

Youngren’s comments were part of his preface to the motion before the council to approve the construction management services agreement attached to the Lakeside Trail project.

“This project marks the first instance where we are deploying the recently established Capital Project Manager’s position,” said Public Works Director Jake Youngren. “We weren’t anticipating jumping into a project this soon – we just recently hired this individual – but we feel like there is competence and capacity…to take lead on a lot of administrative elements of this project.”

The CPM will serve as the primary point of contact for the contractor, overseeing the distribution of submittals, Requests for Information (RFIs), change orders, and other critical documentation to ensure all parties are aligned and that project information is disseminated efficiently.

More good news is the predicted savings the city will realize by having more direct involvement in the project. 

“Although speculative, we anticipate that the city-performed scope of work for this project would have an approximate market value of $100,000 if it were to be exclusively outsourced to consultants,” said Youngren. “There is a value added not just from a financial standpoint but also a project service and delivery standpoint.

Mayor Erin McCardle added that by bringing some of the project management function in-house “the dollars that we are saving pretty much fund her position in one and a half jobs.”

Youngren noted it is the city's intention to expand the CRM’s role in future projects as the city takes on a more comprehensive role in construction management.

In her closing comments McCardle praised Youngren for his innovative thinking.

“When council was first presented with this capital project manager position it was something that hasn’t traditionally been done,” said McCardle. “Public works thought out-of-the-box and ran the models to make sure it would work.”

McCardle also thanked the council for supporting the proposal.

“I want to point out the significant amount of money that bringing that position in house is going to save us,” said McCardle. “We have just about covered the cost of salary in partially engaging this person on one job and we have many public works jobs where we will be able to continue to save the money that we would traditionally have been paying to consultants.”

McCardle also recognized council member Bob Goedde’s point about the increasing number of regulations that are being added to every new project the city does.

“How can we continue to bring expertise in house so that we do not have to continue to spend money on consultants for these increasing regulations that are showing up on every single job,” McCardle said.

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward.media