All hands on deck: Ensuring successful municipal construction projects

Written by Chuck Mathieu

For generations, municipal buildings have played a fundamental role in the health, safety and culture of communities everywhere. Managing the construction and renovation of these specialized structures, including fire and police stations, government buildings and public works buildings, requires the ability to handle a multitude of moving parts and establish relationships with multiple stakeholders.

For these types of projects, making sure everyone’s input is received and addressed requires a considerate and respectful approach throughout all phases. Here are three ways to engage with stakeholders to ensure a frictionless construction process from beginning to end.

Collaboration and composure are key
Input from local residents and village board members on municipal projects—combined with current supply chain issues and escalating costs of raw materials—makes early design collaboration necessary to help develop a plan that meets all stakeholders’ needs and all project goals.

It is important to involve the construction team and stakeholders from the initial stages of a project to confirm designs are realistic and achievable within the budget. Municipal clients typically provide firm budgets on Day 1, before any groundwork starts. The construction team is responsible for working closely with the architects and designers to accomplish the work within scope.

Anticipating material supply chain issues and taking inventory early on confirms the ability to get exactly what is needed in enough time. As a result of today’s volatile market conditions, the construction industry is facing material cost fluctuations on a weekly basis. Therefore, during the design stage, clearly communicating cost increases to the project team and stakeholders is essential. If necessary, teams can also offer alternative material options to the designers.

The quality of the land on which municipal buildings are built is another critical factor. Geotechnical and soil reports, for instance, help identify potentially contaminated soil. If issues are exposed, extra costs may be involved to bring in new structural material. This process helps the design and project teams evaluate bearing capacity as they plan the building foundation.

Expect the unexpected
With multiple stakeholders involved at every project stage, organization is essential to keep each component moving.Municipal buildings are strategically built to last decades. To build a strong foundation from the ground up, construction teams rely on various construction technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) and computer-aided design (CAD). These powerful programs and tools can help predict problems weeks or months ahead of onsite construction—saving time, energy and money.

Security is yet another crucial part of the planning process, especially when construction teams are working on ultra-sensitive areas such as evidence rooms, holding areas and jail cells. The U.S. Department of Corrections is generally heavily involved in these projects due to code restrictions and materials being used. Traffic flow is also a priority, as vehicles must quickly move in and out of structures.

Build a strong consensus
Since municipal construction projects involve numerous decision makers—from village board members, administrators, public works directors, to police and fire chiefs—consistent communication is vital. Approval processes in the municipal sector are generally more complex than others, which is why sharing information daily and weekly is essential. That way, updates and decisions can be made more quickly and efficiently.

The most effective projects also establish a single lead decision maker. This designated stakeholder gathers input from everyone involved, allowing the entire project group to form consensus time and time again. The guiding decision maker is instrumental in weekly or biweekly meetings and makes sure everyone is clear on next steps, including those related to design, budget, bidding and requests for information (RFIs). To keep the community involved and informed, civic meetings with neighboring residents and businesses are also extremely valuable to review budgets and discuss what to expect during construction.

Chuck Mathieu is a senior project manager at Riley Construction in Kenosha, Wis., which specializes in commercial, education, health care, industrial, technology and municipal projects. He can be reached at [email protected]. Learn more about Riley Construction by visiting www.rileycon.com.