SS9402C-CS 960419P.O. Box 478
Coppell, Texas 75019
214-462-0022
April 19, 1996
Joe Ezzell, P.E.
HDR Engineering, Inc.
12700 Hillcrest Road, Suite 125
Dallas, Texas 75230-2096
Re: Bethel Road Sewer Line Project # SS 4-02C
Note: The City requests that no later than 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, 1996 a signed
contract with the City's contractor or another contractor be provided to the City so
that this project can proceed or that HDR escrow the money for the changes with
the City so that the City can authorize its contractor to proceed with this project.
Dear Mr. Ezzell:
This letter is written as a follow-up 'to our telephone conversation on April 19, 1996 and also
as a follow-up to numerous meetings we have had concerning the two-foot error on the west end
of the referenced project at the Bulk Postal Facility. On April 5th, we met concerning this
project under the assumption that HDR was presenting a solution to the problem. As pointed
out during the meeting, the solution had several problems with the grades as shown on the plans
and there was also conversation concerning the responsibility for one section of the line. Several
options were talked about during the meeting concerning whether or not we wanted to final out
our project with Pate Brothers Construction and allow HDR to negotiate and bring in a
contractor to complete the project or allow HDR to negotiate directly with Pate Brothers to
arrive at an agreement of cost to reconstruct the project. The option selected by HDR was to
negotiate directly with Pate to arrive at a solution.
I have tried to stress that this project needs top priority from HDR because of: the high
visibility; the fact that the street is rapidly deteriorated and may need to be closed all together;
the fact that people cannot access the businesses from the west and the fact that Dallas County
cannot complete their part of the project until the sewer line is corrected. Here we are two
weeks later and only yesterday afternoon, on April 18th, did the City receive a telephone call
stating that Pate Bothers had provided a price. However, it was stated that HDR is now going
to negotiate with River Valley Enterprises, another contractor working on another sewer line for
the City.
I am still unsure whether HDR realizes the full scope of the necessity to arrive at a solution and
complete this project not only for the businesses along the roadway, the traveling public, but also
for the credibility and reputation of the City of Coppell and more specifically the Engineering
Department. As I tried to stress during our April 5th meeting, while I spent four years building
up the reputation of the Engineering Department, HDR succeeded in one fatal swoop to
practically take our reputation back to ground zero with the citizens. I have been subject to
comments about the City's inability to complete the project. This is to be expected at various
times when you are in this profession and the public light. However, I do take exception to the
fact that now my wife has been subjected to comments concerning the City's ineptitude and
inability to complete the project.
Again, I cannot begin to stress the importance of HDR's need to be responsive to a solution to
this problem. The City requests that no later than 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, 1996 a
signed contract with the City's contractor or another contractor be provided to the City so
that this project can proceed or that ItDR escrow the money for the changes with'the City
so that the City can authorize its contractor to proceed with this project.
I will be discussing the status of this project with the City Council on April 23rd and will be
seeking direction from City Council on how best to proceed with expediting the construction of
this project. I wish to be very clear in the fact that the City fully expects this project to begin
reconstruction immediately.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Kenneth M. Griffin, P.E.
Assistant City Manager/City Engineer
CC:
Jim Witt, City Manager
Peter G. Smith, City Attorney
William Hindman, HDR