A contract is a contract

Sometimes things happen.

Prices increase or decrease. Costs rise and fall. Problems occur.

But you can’t change the rules and still play the game.

That’s why governments and contractors sign agreements. When a contractor bids on a project, and a price is agreed upon, the price should stand.

Of course, a small amount of flexibility is needed. In 2004, it’s unlikely the City of Whiteville or Green Engineering could have foreseen the continued skyrocketing of construction costs, or some of the roadblocks that turned up on the road to the long-awaited wastewater treatment plant.

But $172,000 in additional funding – when a contract has already been exceeded by nearly $20,000 – isn’t flexibility.

The city council should have taken the strong stance Tuesday and refused Green’s request outright. It’s harsh, perhaps, but doing business comes with a cost. We’re also pretty sure that continuing to work despite massive overruns would go far toward ensuring Green had future business with the city. Gestures like that aren’t easily or quickly forgotten.

We are somewhat surprised the city council would send a committee to meet with Green next week, since the answer should have been a resounding no. That the meeting will occur as a private session, rather than in open council, is also disturbing. If Green Engineering has a solid enough case to convince the board the contract should be amended – to the tune of $172,000 in taxpayers’ money – then Green should be willing to explain that publicly.

That isn’t to say the results of the meeting won’t be made public – we can’t predict the future. Obviously, no one can, or else Green wouldn’t have felt the need to ask for such a large amendment to their contract.

Nor can we predict what will happen in next week’s private consultation – although we hope the city will, after due consideration, say no.

We sincerely doubt that Green would have been writing a check to the city for $172,000 if the project had cost less than estimated.

Green has a history of good service to the city, and a reputation for good engineering work. That relationship should be continued if the city firmly but politely reminds Green Engineering that a contract is a contract.