Votes Delayed on Lansdale Borough Hall Options, 311 W. Main Consultant

Four major votes set on the agenda tonight in Lansdale Borough will be delayed due to ironing out details on respective contracts.

Borough Solicitor Mark Hosterman Wednesday afternoon advised council remove four items from its agenda for its Wednesday evening work session:

• A vote to authorize a contract for professional services related to the design and construction of a borough municipal complex
• A vote to authorize a contract for professional services related to the design and renovation of 311 W. Main St.
• A vote on authorizing professional consulting services agreement for 311 W. Main St.
• A vote on authorizing the filing of a grant application from the Keystone Communities Program for 311 W. Main St.

A major agenda item, which has caused a stir of controversy and a push for petitions from residents, was on whether or not for Spiezle Architects to be contracted to proceed on drafting alternative options for the municipal complex. It did not mean a vote on the demolition of borough hall.

According to Borough Manager Timi Kirchner, the delay "is due to the fact that we have final details to work out in each of these contracts and that we want council to have ample time to consider a fully recommended contract before they vote on such."

Kirchner said all motions would be brought forth as soon as possible "as we finalize everything to our satisfaction and in a form that the solicitor and I feel confident with recommending for consideration by council."

Hosterman emailed borough administration in regard to the Spiezle Architect contracts, and wrote that his firm and Spiezle are close to arriving at a negotiated document with terms and language to recommend to the borough for adoption. 

"However, we believe the borough will benefit from additional time to formulate terms and language acceptable to both parties.  Additionally, this will ensure that everyone on borough council will have adequate time to review and thoughtfully discuss the contracts at a public meeting before their consideration for a final vote." 

In terms of the consultant agreement for 311 W. Main St., Hosterman said his firm is awaiting confirmation from potential consulant Laura Burnham on the availability of the insurance required to be purchased by the agreement terms.

"The grant application should also wait until the 311 Agreements are in place," Hosterman wrote. "It is our hope to tie up these loose ends as expeditiously as possible so as not to unduly delay these important projects."

Read more on these topics:

• Renovation Options Show New Lansdale Municipal Complex
• Demolition Possible in Municipal Complex Renovations
• Lansdale Borough Hall's Deep Historic Roots
• Lansdale Municipal Complex Renovations Talk of Town Hall
• Editorial: Lansdale Borough Hall Should Be A Proud Relic
• 311 W. Main Arts Consultant Vote Upcoming
• Borough Hall Belongs to the Residents
• Petitions Now Available to 'Save Lansdale Borough Hall'
• An Alternative Viewpoint
• An Alternative Viewpoint ... Continued

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