With the move-in date for the new Snoqualmie City Hall possibly slipping to 2010, the bill for the building keeps growing.

A five-to-one vote by the Snoqualmie city council last Monday approved an additional $44,200 contract supplement for Harris and Associates, the firm that the city uses to manage the construction project. Good through November, the extension is due to “unexpected and continuing delays” by the contractor, Bird Construction, Inc.

As head of the council’s public works committee, Councilman Bryan Holloway introduced the motion to approve the new expense, but refused to vote for it.

Holloway admitted that “we must have oversight on this project — it would only get worse without it.” However, he complained that the council hasn’t seen a current schedule or received assurances from Harris and Associates “that this was the final bill to get this completed.”

“I find it difficult to vote yes,” Holloway said, adding that he would continue to vote down similar extensions until given assurances for completion of the building.

Prior to the vote, several council members voiced frustration over the long-delayed project.

Lack of a schedule “is a sign that we must not be doing proper oversight,” said councilwoman Kathi Prewitt.

City Administrator Bob Larson told the council that the city has not seen a complete schedule since last October. Since then, Bird’s schedules have become “creative,” in the words of a Harris and Associates staff member at the meeting.

“Oversight is there,” said Larson. There’s nothing that the city could have done differently, he added.

Challenged by councilman Charles Peterson that Harris and Associates staff had yet to meet with council committees, Larson said that it was city staff’s responsibility to keep council members informed.

Larson said delays have resulted from sub-trade availability, with subcontractors laying off staff due to the weak economy.

“All we can do is insist that that they finish the job.”

Beyond that, city attorney Pat Anderson said Snoqualmie is assessing the contractor $2,000 in damages daily until the building is available.

The new city hall is projected to cost more than $6 million, above the $3.9 million original price tag as well as the $4.9 million winning bid. The building was originally scheduled to open in March.