FAIRFAX TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
STAFF REPORT
AGENDA ITEM #7
MEETING DATE July 16, 2025
PREPARED FOR Mayor and Town Council
PREPARED BY Kristin Arnold, Public Works Director
SUBJECT Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the Town Manager to Execute a Second Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement between the Town and Fairchild Broms Design for the Fire Station 21 Remodel Project
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution authorizing the Town Manager to execute a second amendment to the Professional Services Agreement between the Town and Fairchild Broms Design for the Fire Station 21 Remodel project.
BACKGROUND
The Town of Fairfax owns and maintains Fire Station 21 (Station 21), located at 10 Park Road, Fairfax, and is used by the Ross Valley Fire Department (RVFD). Station 21, built in 1974, requires significant updates to meet modern safety and operational standards. Below is a brief timeline for the project:
• December 2023– The Council authorized the Town Manager to execute a professional services agreement with Fairchild Broms Design (FBD) to prepare construction documents and specifications for the project.
• September 2024 – The Council reviewed options for upgrading Station 21 and selected Option 1:
Comprehensive Remodel of the Upstairs Portion of the Station. This option addresses longstanding operational improvements and accommodates additional fire personnel required under the Ross Valley Fire Department Joint Powers Agreement (RVFD JPA). The estimated cost for this option is approximately $1.5 million.
• February 2025 – The Council authorized the Town Manager to execute the first amendment to add necessary additional documentation to the project to address code related upgrades required by the improvements. This meeting also provided a detailed update on the status of the project.
DISCUSSION
Since the February 2025 Council meeting, staff has received the design development drawing package for review. This package goes well beyond the conceptual/schematic drawings, and includes structural, mechanical, and electrical plans, along with more detailed architectural plans. Generally, this is also a standard time to obtain a detailed cost estimate for a project. However, developing cost estimates are not included in the original scope of work or the first amendment with FBD.
The project’s first cost estimate was completed in May 2023 and was based on conceptual ideas before the full scope of the project was known. Developing a new cost estimate for the entire project at this time 2 would provide a better sense of the project valuation in today’s construction climate. There are numerous complexities to this project that will be evaluated while preparing the cost estimate.
To highlight a few complexities of this project: As a public building, a fire station must meet the accessibility codes for public spaces, which require additional improvements beyond the revisions to add a sleeping room. These requirements also impact space requirements for various functions, such as the bathrooms. There is also a requirement for fire separation between the occupancies in the building. This will require additional improvements to the building between the Apparatus Bay (where the fire engines are stored) and the living spaces. This will include the removal of portions of the fire sprinkler system, lighting, station alerting system, fire alarm system, etc. The fire separation will then be installed, and then these systems will need to be re-installed. The existing heating and cooling system will also require modification to accommodate the required separations. Additionally, the project will be completed in accordance with public contract requirements, which inherently involves a more extensive process for the contractor and increases costs. Furthermore, the project will necessitate relocating fire personnel into a temporary facility and the Apparatus Bay will be partitioned off for the fire engine, to ensure fire services stay available and uninterrupted during construction. Adding the partition adds costs to the project but is more feasible than finding a new location and building a temporary Apparatus Bay.
The Agreement with FBD requires a second amendment to add cost estimating services to the project.
The total cost of this amendment is $9,500, and will result in an updated cost estimate for the project.
More specifically this will add the following tasks to the project scope:
1) Cost estimating services – provides a detailed cost estimate for the project and includes one round of review and edits
2) FBD time to coordinate with the cost estimator and review and comment on the cost estimate Next Steps
The next steps before the project goes out to bid are to submit comments on the design development drawings, complete the cost estimate if approved, progress to permit-level drawings with specifications, complete permit review, and prepare final construction documents for bidding. For transparency, please note that this will not be the last amendment for design services. Staff will return to the council to request additional services under FBD’s agreement for assistance with bidding and construction services.
Additionally, temporary housing for the fire personnel will likely be a separate contract from the main construction contract for the project.
FISCAL IMPACT
The current design contract amendment requested by the designer is for an additional $9,500 (for a total contract amount of $73,000) and can be funded under Town Facility Improvement (05-905-821).
Additional costs for temporary housing, updated cost estimates, construction costs, and possible contract revisions will be presented in future reports to Council.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Scope of Services for Second Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement B. Resolution
Fairchild
Broms
Design
Project #23004 Page 1
AMENDMENT 02
June 25, 2025
Town of Fairfax
142 Bolinas Road
Fairfax, CA 94930
Attn: Heather Abrams
Project: Ross Valley Fire Department Fire station 21 Second Floor Renovation Scope of Services:
This letter amends the Agreement dated December 6, 2023 between Fairchild Broms Design (“FBD”) and the Town of Fairfax (“Town”) for the above project.
The Scope of Services in this Amendment includes the development of a Design Development Cost Model. The cost model will be completed by Marcene Taylor Inc. FBD will provide the information for the cost model including information from the consultants, the Town and RVFD.
This Amendment is therefore based on the following scope, deliverables, and assumptions:
• The Cost Estimate will be prepared in CSI UniFormat and will be based on documents provided by Fairchild Broms Design and their consultants.
Compensation:
This amendment shall increase the total contract amount authorized to date.
Original Contract Amount: $ 47,000
Amendment 01: $ 16,500
Amendment 02: $ 9,500
Total Authorized: $ 73,000
Any additional services will be based on the attached Rate Schedule.
Please sign and return one copy as authorization to proceed. Receipt of a signed copy shall be confirmation of authorization to proceed to provide the above services for this project.
Consultant
Jessica Fairchild, AIA
Fairchild Broms Design
_____________________06.25.2025______
Signature / Date
______Jessica Fairchild, AIA_______________
Client
Heather Abrams,
Town Manager,Town of Fairfax
__________________________________
Signature / Date
__________________________________
Print name and title Print name and title
Attachment A: Amendment 02 Scope of Services
Fairchild
Broms
Design
Standard Rates Page 1
Fairchild Broms Design
Schedule of Rates (January 1, 2025)
Schedule of Professional Services
Principal / Architect of Record $260 / hour
Specifications $300 / hour
Senior Planner / Designer $185 - 200 / hour
Designer / Drafter $140 - 160 / hour
Administrative $110 / hour
Schedule of Reimbursable Expenses
Transportation: $0.70 / mile
Deliveries/Postage: Cost plus 10%
Plots/reproductions: Cost plus 10%
In House Copies / plots:
BW 8.5x11 $0.50/ page/copy
Color 8.5x11 $1.00/ page/copy
BW 11x17 $0.75/page/copy
Color 11x17 $3.00/ page/copy
12453 West Briarwood Drive, Boise, Idaho 83713 (208) 391-7705 www.mticost.com
June 4, 2025
Jessica Fairchild AIA, LEED AP
Fairchild Broms Design
PO Box 1528
San Anselmo, CA 94960
Fairfax Fire Station 21
Ross Valley Fire District
Dear Jessica,
We are pleased to provide a proposal for construction cost estimating services for the above-mentioned project. The project consists of remodeling the existing two-story Fire Station 21 located in Fairfax, California.
The Cost Estimate will be prepared in CSI UniFormat and will be based on documents provided by Fairchild Broms Design and their consultants. For this scope of services, we propose the following fixed fee:
Estimating Phase Fee
Design Development Cost Estimate $ 7 ,500
Total Fixed Fee $ 7 ,500
We typically require ten business days from receipt of documents to complete draft estimates. We have allowed for one revision to the draft estimates to incorporate comments from the design team. Additional services such as additional cost estimates, incorporation of new information once an estimate has been started, estimates of total project costs, value engineering, cost cutting, and evaluation of bids and change orders can be provided at an additional cost. Our fees are based on the project size and anticipated hard construction cost.
Should the size or construction cost increase, our fees will be adjusted accordingly. In addition, a portion of our fee assumes MTI’s continual engagement through the design phases proposed. Should a portion of design phase be eliminated, fees will be adjusted accordingly. Our current regular hourly rates are:
June 4, 2025 Page 2
Hourly Rate
Principal $ 300.00
MEP Cost Planner $ 215.00
Senior Cost Planner $ 215.00
Cost Planner $ 185.00
Administrative/Clerical $ 95.00
This proposal is valid for 90 days. Invoices will be generated and issued to your firm by the tenth of the month following work performed. Payment is expected within 60 days. Should an invoice age beyond 90 days, interest will be charged. Payment must be received in full for prior design phase estimates before start of work for the current design phase. In addition, payment must be made in full upon completion of each design phases estimate regardless of the progress of the overall design contract.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide this proposal. We look forward to working with you on this project.
Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.
Sincerely,
Marcene N. Taylor, CPE
President
Town of Fairfax
Resolution No. 25-XX
RESOLUTION NO. 25 -
A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF FAIRFAX
AMENDING THE AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH FAIRCHILD BROMS AND AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO PROVIDE NOT TO EXCEED $73,000 OF TOWN FUNDS TO FAIRCHILD BROMS DESIGN FOR FIRE STATION 21 MODIFICATIONS.
WHEREAS, Town and Consultant entered into an Agreement for Professional Services (“Agreement”) on December 6, 2023 for $47,000; and
WHEREAS, Town and Consultant entered into the Agreement for design of modifications to the Town’s Fire Station 21; and
WHEREAS, Town and Consultant modified the Agreement through the first Amendment on February 5, 2025 for $16,500; and
WHEREAS, Town and Consultant now wish to amend the Agreement to modify the scope of work and compensation provisions of the original Agreement and first Amendment for an additional $9,500 (for a total contract amount of $73,000).
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Council of the Town of Fairfax DOES RESOLVE, DECLARE, DETERMINE AND ORDER AS FOLLOWS:
1. The Town Council hereby authorizes the Town Manager to sign the Second Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with Fairchild Broms for $9,500; and
2. The Town Manager is directed to execute the amendment to carry out this resolution.
3. This resolution shall become effective on July 16th, 2025, as determined by law or policy.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the Town Council of the Town of Fairfax on this 16th day of July 2025, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
ATTACHMENT B
Town of Fairfax
Resolution No. 25-XX
ATTEST:
__________________________________ _________________________________________
LISEL BLASH CHRISTINE FOSTER
MAYOR DEPUTY TOWN CLERK