Nelson Still Upset About Lack Of Progress On Waterpark Punch List

Trying to get contractors to finish things on a post-construction “punch list” of items they had agreed to take care of at the River Rapids Waterpark was again a hot topic at last Thursday’s Ste. Genevieve County Commission meeting.

A week earlier, Presiding Commissioner Garry Nelson said he was “aggravated and disgusted” that only 11 of 46 items had been completed.

The county withheld a 5 percent retainage fee against any failure to complete obligations.

Brockmiller Construction, the same Farmington firm that built the community center, has been Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) for the project, coordinating the work of various contractors and sub-contractors. The firm had asked the county the previous week when the final 5 percent would be received.

Nelson reiterated Thursday he has no trouble paying the remaining 5 percent to those contractors whose work is already done.

“I have no problem paying those who are done,” Nelson said.

A walk-through was held on October 1, and a punch list was compiled of largely minor items that needed to be completed before the retainage fee was paid. Work could have begun on the items in early October, Nelson said. Now it may be too late this year.

“Some are probably not going to get done,” community center executive director Brad Arnold said. “Some are weather-dependent.”

Nelson suggested that it would behoove the contractors to get the job completed properly if they want any positive referrals.

“It’s a big project,” Nelson said. “We were on the cover of an international waterpark magazine. People will be calling us, asking us questions. We’ll tell them exactly what happened. These problems are not being addressed.”

See complete story in the November 30 edition of the Herald.