SARANAC LAKE — The village is again seeking a consultant to help design an extension to the Saranac River Walk.

The village Board of Trustees on Monday approved a request for qualifications “to identify firms with the interest, expertise and capacity” to assist with the project. Responses are due March 8.

The project involves extending the River Walk through two properties along the river: a garage owned by the late Barry Magee, and the former Dew Drop Inn, now owned by Calli Shelton and Randy Coles, who plan to renovate it and reopen it as a bar and restaurant. Instead of going through these two riverfront properties, the River Walk currently veers away from them and down an alley.

Shelton’s plans for the property show the River Walk going through an open-air, covered porch along the river, then up a set of stairs to Broadway, which it would cross to re-join its current route.

The consultant would be responsible for, among other things, developing design alternatives, participating in a public meeting on the project, developing a final design and cost estimates, and preparing construction documents and the necessary permit applications.

The village board had approved a similar request for qualifications in October.

“How come it never went anywhere for four months?” Trustee Allie Pelletieri asked Monday.

Community Development Director Jeremy Evans said the village “jumped the gun a little bit” and had to re-work the request to make it acceptable to the state.

“This is being funded by a (state) waterfront grant,” he explained. “Before we sent it out, we wanted to make sure we got authorization from Department of State, and they requested the RFQ line up with a work program in the grant contract. Until we got that from them, and I was able to line the activities requested with the work program said — I just needed to do those things.”

Evans said the changes were minor.

“It’s not really a change of scope, it’s just how it’s worded between this and what you did in October,” he said.

Once it receives responses, the village will score and select a firm to assist with the project. The selected firm will then be notified in writing and asked to submit a schedule and fee proposal.

The design and permitting of the project are funded by a $150,000 Local Waterfront Revitalization Program grant the village was awarded in 2015. The money was intended for the design of a proposed shoreline trail along Lake Flower, but village officials later agreed to redirect it to the River Walk extension.