CITY OF MENIFEE
SUBJECT: Agreement Amendment with Southstar Engineering & Consulting, Inc. for the Construction Management Services for the Central Park Amphitheater Project
MEETING DATE: April 2, 2025
TO: Mayor and City Council
PREPARED BY: Nancy Rodriguez, Management Analyst II
REVIEWED BY: Rebekah Kramer, Deputy City Manager
APPROVED BY: Armando G. Villa, City Manager
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Approve and authorize the City Manager to execute Amendment No. 1 to the Professional Services Agreement with Southstar Engineering & Consulting, Inc. for construction management services for the Central Park Amphitheatre Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Project No. 19-15, increasing the compensation amount by $168,181 for a total not-to-exceed amount of $1,023,272.
DISCUSSION
The Central Park Amphitheater, CIP No. 19-15 (“Project”) consists of the construction of an amphitheater with two distinct and architecturally unique structures: the main shade structure and the rear storage and preparation area. Upon completion, this facility would serve as a premier venue for City events, concerts, and art exhibitions, providing a dynamic space for local musical groups, artists, and performers.
On December 6, 2023, the City Council approved a Professional Services Agreement (“PSA”) with Southstar Engineering & Consulting, Inc. (“Southstar”) for construction management, labor compliance, and oversight services for the Project. The original contract was approved with a not- to-exceed amount of $855,091.
Due to the project’s unique design and technical complexities, additional construction management time, inspections, and coordination efforts with the City, design team, and contractor have been necessary. The Central Park Amphitheater is a one-of-a-kind structure, incorporating custom-fabricated steel components, engineered Glue-laminated beams (large wood beams that create the primary support for the shade structure and storage building top), and a specialized Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tensile roof system. These elements require meticulous review,
City of Menifee Staff Report
Southstar Engineering & Consulting, Inc. Amendment
April 2, 2025
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precise fabrication, and extensive quality control to ensure structural integrity and compliance with design specifications. As the project progressed, several factors contributed to the need for additional inspection hours, coordination efforts, and schedule adjustments, including:
•Increased Volume of Submittals & Extended Review Timelines: Given the complexity of the amphitheater’s wood and roofing systems, the number of material and construction submittals exceeded initial projections. Each submittal required thorough review and approval to ensure compliance with the construction documents and specifications. •Structural Delays & Supply Chain Challenges: The fabrication and delivery of key structural elements—specifically, the Glue-laminated beams and the PTFE tensile roof membrane—required specialized production schedules. These materials involve highly technical manufacturing processes that cannot be rushed without compromising quality.
Additionally, fluctuations in material availability and supply chain disruptions further extended procurement timelines and prolonging project completion schedule. •Precision-Driven Construction & Inspections: The steel reinforcement for both the concrete storage wall and shade structure pillars required custom form fabrication with precise tolerances. Given the structural and architectural importance of these elements, these components underwent multiple rounds of coordination and inspections to ensure compliance with construction plans and stringent engineering specifications.
Understanding the fiscal impact of the project, staff have worked diligently to negotiate cost reductions wherever possible. Through strategic discussions with the contractor and the construction management team, staff have continually worked to reduce the overall increase in contract costs while ensuring that the project remains on schedule and meets the City’s expectations.
Southstar’s expertise has been instrumental in addressing the challenges of this complex project, and their continued involvement will mitigate potential risks, prevent costly rework, and maintain construction progress while safeguarding the City’s investment in this high-profile facility.
To ensure the successful completion of this project, staff is recommending Amendment No. 1 to the original PSA with Southstar to continue providing critical technical oversight including labor compliance, construction document management and quality control. The proposed Amendment No. 1 would increase the project compensation by $168,181, for a total not-to-exceed amount of to $1,023,272.
Pursuant to Menifee Municipal Code §3.12.090, amendments or change orders in the amount greater than 10% of the original agreement amount, or that exceed the City Managers signing authority, shall be approved by the City Council.
City of Menifee Staff Report
Southstar Engineering & Consulting, Inc. Amendment
April 2, 2025
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STRATEGIC PLAN OBJECTIVE
Community Engagement and Social Infrastructure
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact of the proposed Amendment No. 1 with Southstar is $168,181, increasing the aggregate sum of the agreement from $855,091 to $1,023,272. Project savings from various CIP projects have been identified in the Fiscal Year 2024/2025 Budget that could be reprogrammed to support the Project. Two Parks, Trails, Recreation CIP projects would have savings reprogrammed totaling $118,181 and one Public Facilities CIP project would have savings to transfer in the Facilities ISF totaling $50,000 to cover the total $168,181 of the proposed Amendment No. 1, as shown in Table 1.
TABLE 1 – IDENTIFIED PROJECT SAVINGS TO REPROGRAM
CIP Project Fund Fund
Number
Contributing
Fund
Receiving
Fund
CIP 24-07,
Citywide Rekey
(Public Facilities project)
Facilities ISF (Transfer) 1116 $50,000
DIF, Citywide Park Improv. 2522 $57,788
Local Park, Quimby 2620 $8,416CIP 23-17,
Park Lighting
CFD 2015-2 Citywide Parks 2622 $16,990
DIF 17, Parks 2511 $28,753CIP 24-17,
E.L. Petersen Dog Park DIF, Citywide Park Improv. 2522 $6,234 Facilities ISF (Transfer) 1116 $50,000
DIF 17, Parks 2511 $28,753
DIF, Citywide Park Improv. 2522 $64,022
Local Park, Quimby 2620 $8,416
CIP 19-05,
Central Park
Amphitheater
CFD 2015-2 Citywide Parks 2622 $16,990
TOTALS $168,181 $168,181
ATTACHMENTS
1. Project Location Map
2. Amendment No. 1
3. Original Agreement