Kenai Senior Center canopy repair runs about $220,000 against a $50,000 budget

Rotted joists pushed the Kenai Senior Center canopy repair to about $220,000, more than four times its original $50,000 budget, Public Works Director Lee Frey told the Council on Aging Commission on Thursday during its yearly review of capital projects.

The roof had leaked for years, and crews expected to replace only the plywood on top of the joists, Frey said. When they opened it, they found about 82 rotted joists. The city had the contractor tear off and replace the whole structure of the canopy.

City Manager Terry Eubank told the City Council on July 8 that project funds were "insufficient for the senior center canopy." The council added $110,000. After the rot was found, the council approved another $45,000 on Sept. 16, to replace the joists and metal. That brought the total approved to $205,000. Frey said his $220,000 figure includes design and rework. The money comes from the city's general fund.

A $60,000 project to widen doors for wheelchairs and add push-button bathroom doors may change scope, Frey said. A separate front door project has a finished design and awaits a cost estimate.

Frey said the bluff wall behind the center is holding up well a year after it was finished. Projections put erosion at 2 to 3 feet a year. The city has state grant money for a path down the bluff for maintenance but will wait for the slope to settle, which could take five to 10 years.

Higher medical insurance costs and lower revenue could mean less capital spending this year, Frey said. The capital plan could go to the council in January.