Issues with contractor stalls North Strabane public safety building project
Work on a new public safety building in North Strabane Township has been stalled after supervisors terminated the contractor’s contract.
Brad Mellor, an attorney representing the township, said the contract with Spartan Construction was terminated at a supervisors’ meeting last month for “performance issues.” He did not elaborate on any specific problems.
“I can’t get into too much of that. It was an apparent inability to complete the job on Spartan’s part,” Mellor said.
In June 2022, the North Strabane board of supervisors awarded a $7,689,524 contract to Spartan for the construction, and another $1.2 million plumbing contract.
At their meeting Tuesday, supervisors tabled a vote on having Berkley Insurance Co. assume Spartan’s contracts.
Mellor explained that Berkley is the bond surety for the project, and that the township is still working out an agreement with the company.
“Our hope is they will take over and complete the job without cost to the township,” Mellor said.
Mellor said they aim to have a finalized agreement in place by the time of the next supervisors’ voting meeting on Aug. 27.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the supervisors approved a resolution adjusting the township fee schedule.
Township Manager Andrew Walz said the township has hired inspectors who are certified to perform electrical inspections.
“Our employees will be doing all inspections associated with building,” Walz said.
The fee for electrical inspections will go up 0.05% as a result. They will now cost 0.65% of the total cost for a residential project, and 0.8% of the total cost for a commercial project.
The resolution also allows residents to rent the township pickleball courts in one-hour blocks. The courts will still be available for open use if there are no reservations.