The town of Malta is looking to replace Clough, Harbour and Associates (CHA), its longtime engineering consultant, within the next few months. In discussions since the summer, CHA and the town have been unable to reach an acceptable agreement on a 2007 contract for services.
Clough Harbour has asked the town to give them a choice, said Supervisor Paul Sausville at the Tuesday, Jan. 2, town board meeting. He said that CHA asked to be able to choose whether it would represent the town or another party in future matters that might come before the town.
In early August Sausville announced the town’s concern of what he called a `strategic alliance` between CHA and M+W Zander, a company widely known for its work with clients in the field of electronics, as well as life science and science and research. The town’s concern about the relationship between the two companies stems from M+W Zander’s connection with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), which is expected to move into the Luther Forest Technology Campus.
M+W Zander has served as a consultant for AMD and would likely put in a bid for architectural, engineering and/or construction work for the AMD chip fabrication site. Although AMD first expressed an interest in the Malta site more than six months ago, no officially binding agreement has been signed.
`I would not call it a strategic alliance,` said Mark Tebbano, director of marketing for CHA, describing the connection be-tween the two consulting businesses. `It is a business relationship that we enjoy with M+W Zander.`
Tebbano said that each business has its own niche in the industry, which is complementary to the other.
`We have enjoyed a good relationship with the town and expect to continue that relationship,` said Tebbano. He declined to comment on the contract negotiations, except to say that discussions with the town of Malta are ongoing.
In the short term, the town board agreed to extend the 2006 contract with 2007 rates for three months, which may be extended on a month-to-month basis thereafter.
The town first offered an open invitation to other firms on Dec. 13 and has since extended the solicitation of bids for the consulting position through Jan. 12 due to the holiday season.
`The consultant advises and consults with town officials,` said Kevin King, comptroller for the town of Malta. King noted that a portion of the consultant’s job relates to planning and zoning, while other aspects of the job deal with the town’s roadways. Ideally, the new consultant would also be able to prepare and review the comprehensive master plan as well as the townwide Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS).
`There is some work that may not be able to be done by another company,` said Sausville, referring to the GEIS. Sausville suggested that an agreement between the town and CHA could be worked out in which they continue to work on certain town matters.
Town Attorney Tom Peterson noted that the GEIS is a very detailed document and, while other firms could come in to the job and complete the necessary work related to GEIS issues, it might prove to be costly to the town as the new firm would have to take the time to be brought `up to speed` on the document.
Sausville said all applications received by Friday, Jan. 12 will be evaluated and reviewed, but he did not have a time frame for when a new engineering consultant would be in place. “
