A project to improve J.E. Morgan Memorial Park in West Penn Township appears to be back on track.

Supervisors on Monday unanimously approved a change order the contractor agreed to after Arro Consulting Inc. reached out to them about the intent to award with change order to the bid. They accepted the change order.

The contractor will do the pavilion and the restroom, while the township will do the rest. They also reduced the cost of mobilization and demobilization, and excavation/grading because of the change order.

The reduction for mobilization/demobilization went from $8,970 to $4,160, while the excavation/grading went from $9,750 to $2,080.

The proposed total contract with the change order is now $65,461.

Last month, supervisors approved funds to upgrade the park. At that time, supervisors opted to proceed with using funds from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for improvements to the park.

A motion was made at that meeting to award a contract with reductions, as the board indicated by change order directing its engineer to send out the change order with the intent to award.

The township previously received one bid from Dutchman Contracting LLC, in the amount of $139,391. It has a $60,000 DCNR grant, which, along with a $30,000 match, equals a total project cost of $90,000.

As part of that, a new pavilion and bathroom will be constructed, while the township will do some of the work itself, such as the paving access path and parking areas, ADA parking sign and pavement markings.

The DCNR grant project has until has until the end of 2024 to be completed. However, Supervisor Glenn Hummel said he would like to see the pavilion, restroom and well put in.

Plans to bid out work in February didn’t materialize after a proposal came in $40,000 over budget.

At that time, the board tabled the sole bid the township received in the amount of $139,391 of Dutchman Contracting LLC.

Hummel said at that time the amount was $40,000 more than the township received from a DCNR grant.

He then added that he’s “shocked” after the cost estimate for the pavilion came in at $29,000, compared to a previous estimate of $7,900 the board received from the township’s former engineer.

Board Chairman Tony Prudenti suggested at that time that they talk to DCNR to see if the township can get more money for the project due to the pandemic.

The work, to be completed before May 27, includes improvements to the existing facilities.

The project calls for construction of a pole style building, picnic pavilion and potable water. The grant will pay for a new sign, playground equipment, re-skinned infield of the baseball field, an equipment shed/stand, pavilion and picnic tables.

In June, the board agreed to request information on the Morgan Park Grant from Lehigh Engineering LLC, and terminate their obligation for engineering for the DCNR Morgan Park Grant and pursue other means.

In October 2020, supervisors announced the township had obtained a $60,000 Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant to further develop the park.

In April 2019, supervisors agreed to do the field.

That’s when the township submitted its application for a DCNR grant.

Supervisors said their main concern at that time was to build a good baseball and soccer field to be used by the growing youth ball leagues.

An unanticipated cost increase at that time was skinning the baseball field, which cost about $15,000 in materials alone, supervisors said.

The board also wanted to install a play area and use rubber mulch as well.

In March 2019, supervisors adopted a resolution stating that the township desires to receive a grant from DCNR for the purpose of carrying out the J.E. Morgan Memorial Park Project.

The township in 2018 received a $55,000 grant to spruce up a park, and has since renamed the former West Penn Park East after the late John E. Morgan, who died in 2001.