The Indianapolis Board of Parks and Recreation on Oct. 21 approved final change order No. 1 to the Frederick Douglass Park Field Improvements project, increasing the contract by $26,428.40 to a new total lump sum of $1,671,328.40.

Angie Clark, board secretary, introduced the recommendation on behalf of the Resource Development Division. Kevin Thompson, construction administrator for the Department of Parks and Recreation, told the board that crews encountered unforeseen conditions during work on the football field irrigation system and when removing the top layer of the parking lot.

"One of the biggest thing was the irrigation of the football fields," Thompson said, describing broken irrigation heads and damaged lines found during construction. He said crews replaced many irrigation heads to ensure the field will be ready for play next spring. Thompson also said additional repairs to the parking lot were necessary after crews exposed underlying cracks, and that the change order funded those repairs and installation of a new handicap ramp to improve access to the pool.

Justin Hanna identified himself as project manager with Natcon General Contractors and appeared alongside staff during the presentation. The agenda packet named Matcon General Contractors Incorporated as the contracting firm associated with the change order; the board record presented the change order amount and revised contract total to the members.

Board members asked whether the term "final" reflected the project's status; staff said the project is about 95% complete and the change order is intended to close out unforeseen items.

The board voted to approve the change order; the meeting record does not show an individual roll-call tally in the public remarks.

No amendments to the change order were proposed during the meeting.