Bruce Schwartzman, BKV Group, and Pete Filippi, Contegrity Group, reviewed design development plans, including site and floor plans, cost estimates, and a future schedule for the county jail addition and remodel at the county board’s October 25 meeting.
The podular jail design provides staffing efficiencies. Schwartzman said the Department of Corrections is on board with the design. Construction documents are to be completed by February 21 and bidding is scheduled to be open March 23. The bids are to be presented to the county board in April. At that point the board will need to approve a bid and go forward or reject all bids.
Schwartzman estimated the total project cost to be over $10 million, which includes ballast roofing on existing building, soil corrections (based on soil borings), contingencies, and soft costs. This figure does not include several alternative items that may be added to the project including EIFS stucco (exterior insulating finishing systems) over brick on the existing building, new windows in the existing building, a fully equipped kitchen, and an emergency operations center/training room. The additional items together will cost more than $500,000.
Filippi said they are looking at different options to insulate and create a durable exterior for the existing building. Commissioner Randy Dahl felt the EIFS over existing brick did not give long term value to the taxpayer.
County Administrator Bobbie Hillery briefly reviewed how the county could pay for this project, if the board decides to go ahead with a jail addition and remodel. The county is currently paying $276,000 per year on its outstanding bonds from 2010. The final levy for those bonds will take place in 2023. This amount will then be available for a new bond payment in 2024 without an additional impact on taxpayers. There will be little additional impact on taxpayers if the amount borrowed is only $3.5 million. Hillery noted that a $4.5 million bond will add less than one additional percentage point to the levy. The board is also considering using 2021 America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds (about $4.1 million) to help pay for a portion of the project. Other funds available are jail reserve funds ($800,000) and SSC and Tech funds ($450,000).
Chairman Mitch Lentz called the Jail Needs Assessment report, which came out in July 2021, “a good piece of work.” Commissioner Duane Bakke noted the needs assessment study used a jail addition and remodel cost of about $7.5 million and not the estimated cost today, which is closer to $11 million.
The board will be updated again near the end of February 2023. Sometime in April, the board will open and review bids. At that time, they may approve a bid or say “no” and reject all bids.
Highway and airport
Approval was given to advertise the revised request for proposals for the construction of the Chatfield Storage Shed. Several months ago, the county received one bid for the construction of the shed which was well over budget; the bid was rejected. The scope of the project has been reduced from five bays to four bays, eliminating some other extras. Regular roof steel will be used.
A cooperative agreement with the city of Spring Valley for the reconstruction of CSAH 8 (Farmer St.), from CSAH 1 to the east city limits, was approved.
A request to advertise for bids to construct the new arrival and departure building at the Fillmore County Airport was approved. This needs to be bid and submitted for the grant. The old building will need to be removed. People will be able to bid on it or if there is no interest it will be removed as part of the contract.
The final payment in the amount of $5,680.31 to Minnowa Construction for a project in Newburg Township by the Mabel Gun Club was approved. The total value of the work was $113,606. The cost was 6.3% below contract price.
The final payment to Generation X Construction, in the amount of $10,419.81 was approved for the Rushford Canoe Landing. The total value of the work was $67,411 which was 13.7% below contract price.
Other business in brief
• Hillery reported that the “Bad Sheriff” mailing that many county residents received was investigated by the Preston Police Department. It is not considered a threat, but only free speech.
• A quote from Winona Heating & Ventilating, Inc. in the amount of $7,940 was approved to replace the air conditioning unit in the server room at the county office building. The current unit is failing and was installed in 2006.
• The 2021 county audit from CliftonLarsonAllen was approved. Approval was given to publish it in the legal paper, Fillmore County Journal, at a cost of about $7,500. There was consensus to work toward providing a condensed version of the 2022 audit for publication next year.
• The retirement of Bonnie Hill, accounting technician lead, was approved with thanks for 22 years of service, effective November 15.
• The retirement of Wendy Ebner, Social Services supervisor, was approved with thanks for 35 years of service, effective December 30.
• The resignation of Lori Affeldt, finance director, was approved with thanks for six years of service, effective December 15. Internal and external advertisement for a replacement finance director was approved.
• Kimberly Waller was hired as a Community Corrections case manager, effective November 9.
• Tori Gillman was hired as a Community Corrections agent, effective November 9.
• Jonathan King was hired as a Community Corrections Agent, effective November 14.
• A change to the 2023 Group Medicare Supplement plan was approved. There is no cost to the county for this plan, as it does not contribute to a Medicare Supplement plan.
• An agreement with the city of Peterson for the county attorney’s office to provide prosecution services was approved.
• A resolution was adopted for the sheriff’s office to enter into a grant agreement with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, for traffic safety enforcement (Toward Zero Deaths project).
• The 2023 Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA) EDA contract was approved at a cost of $45,092.
• An upgrade and transition to Karpel Software for the attorney’s office was approved at a one-time cost of $45,400 to be paid from the Attorney’s Forfeiture fund ($35,000) and Information Systems. Annual support and maintenance will cost $6,375 per year.
• The board will meet next on November 1.
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