Supervisors approve plans to begin Public Safety Center construction process

by Bob Beach

During its regular meeting Monday, July 27, the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met with John Hanson of Midwest Construction Consultants to discuss the upcoming construction of the new public safety center at the former Makee Manor site. Hanson presented the Board with bids for a topographic survey and a geotechnical soil investigation of the building site, as well as an asbestos survey of the old Makee Manor building. The Board voted to award the contract for the site survey to Mohn Surveying, Inc. for the low bid price of $1,125, which was significantly lower than the bids submitted by Ericson Land Surveying Inc. ($4,850) and Fehr Graham Engineering ($4,900).
Hanson said that $7,000 for the survey was included in the total project cost estimate and that the savings would be moved into the project’s contingency fund. Hanson added that Roger Mohn had assured him that the survey could be completed for the bid amount, but based on the disparity in the bid amounts, the Board agreed with Hanson’s recommendation to award the contract to Ericson Land Surveying if Mohn could not complete the survey for the amount bid.
The Board awarded the contract for the soil testing at the building site to Chosen Valley Testing of Mason City for the low bid price of $3,200. Also bidding for the soil survey contract were Terracon of Cedar Rapids ($5,650) and Team Services of Des Moines ($5,000). Again, Hanson said that the bids were lower than expected, noting that $6,000 was included in the overall project cost estimate of soil testing.
Hawkeye Environmental, LLC of Solon was awarded the contract for the asbestos survey of the old Makee Manor building for the low bid price of $4,935. Impact 7G, Inc. of Johnston, the only other bidder, submitted a bid of $6,900.
Hanson said that all three contracted projects should be complete within two weeks, adding that the next step would be to use the results from the asbestos survey to seek bids for the removal of any asbestos in the Makee Manor building prior to its demolition. Bids for the demolition will be sought after the asbestos removal and bids for the construction of the new facility will be sought this November. Hanson said the construction itself should begin sometime next spring.
The Board also agreed to sign an amended contract with Midwest Construction Consultants for a fixed amount of $199,230 for the new public safety center.
The Board also met with Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour, who presented the Board with a proposed ordinance to establish a policy for the construction and reconstruction of roadways and bridges. Ridenour said that the ordinance formalizes standards already used; the purpose of formalizing the standards is to satisfy Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requirements. The Board scheduled a public hearing for Monday, August 17 at 10 a.m. to discuss the proposed ordinance. Ridenour also asked for and received the Board’s approval to purchase a new Western Star 4700 tandem axle truck from Truck Country of Decorah for $107,479.00.
In other business, the Board approved the second reading of an amendment to the County’s zoning ordinance to allow for cluster residential housing subdivisions. The Board will consider the third and final reading of the amendment during its regular meeting next week. The Board agreed to hire Waukon Police Officer Chad Dugan as a part-time transport officer for the Sheriff’s Department and accepted and placed on file quarterly reports from the Sheriff and Relief Office. The Board also set Monday, August 10 at 9:15 a.m. as the date and time for a public hearing on an amended County budget for the current fiscal year.