Also hear of smaller courthouse HVAC project
~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
Representatives of ISG, the architectural and engineering company working with Sheriff Jack Williams on a proposal for a new jail to be built at the new Law Enforcement Center on E. Lincoln Way, presented information to the Greene County board of supervisors at the regular meeting on Aug. 1.
Only board chair John Muir and Mick Burkett were in the board room. Pete Bardole and Dawn Rudolph joined remotely. Tom Contner was absent.
Bryan Paulsen, senior architect for ISG, joining by phone, estimated costs for a 17,650 square foot building accommodating 20 beds and 4 holding cells, a kitchen, and offices at $8,560,250 in building construction cost.
Bringing utilities to the building and site construction costs were estimated at $616,000. Furniture, fixtures, and equipment costs were estimated at $450,000.
A 15 percent contingency buffer of $1,443,937 was added to the construction costs total. Ten percent of the non-construction costs were also added to the total to cover miscellaneous expenses and unforeseen architectural engineering fees. This amount was estimated at $962,625.
ISG estimated the total project cost will be $12,032,812.
Early in the presentation board chair John Muir said, “Several jails have been built around here. Some of them have had real catastrophes. We’ve worked with you guys from the start. Hopefully we’ve told you everything you needed to know to make the right decisions. Your experiences with jails before went smoothly, I hope?”
As with several other presentations or discussions between the board and ISG representatives, the ISG representatives side-stepped the question about ISG’s experience in constructing jails.
Paulsen did not name of specific jail structures ISG has designed. Paulsen instead talked about the importance of communication with contractors involved in the project.
Nick Frederiksen, ISG civil engineering group leader, and Derek Johnson, ISG executive vice-president, were also present and participated in discussion of specific construction issues.
Muir asked about pre-cast construction of cells compared to individually built cells.
Paulsen said the life expectancy of pre-cast cell construction is “high.”
“They are cheaper to operate,” he said, “because they hold the heating and cooling within the construction.”
Paulsen said the units are built by Wells Concrete in Minnesota and take less of an on-site work presence to install than individually built cells.
The existing geothermal well currently used by the administrative building on the site was discussed. It is currently unknown whether it is deep enough to be used by a proposed jail facility.
The ISG representatives presented a floor plan with kitchen and a site plan shooting range.
Williams explained meals will be purchased off-site for inmates but if the inmate population grows to a certain level, meals can be prepared in the facility’s kitchen.
Williams also said the officers have to maintain shooting ability which is currently done off-site. The shooting range included in the site plan would be indoors with 6 lanes, 50 by 200 feet of training space. Construction cost for this was not included in the estimates as Williams said it could be added later if needed.
Williams said isolation rooms need to be added to the floor plan. GCNO asked the purpose of these rooms and Williams said they are needed to contain violent people at times. The rooms contain no furniture.
GCNO also asked about video camera coverage in the facility. Muir answered it was included in the total estimate.
Muir also asked about the proposed flat roof. Paulsen answered that the roof would have a quarter-inch per foot fall, resulting in an 18-inch fall to the drains.
Supervisor Bardole asked about the cost difference for a pitched roof. Paulsen said he would provide estimates for a steel roof. Rubber roofs were discussed for fire protection and longevity.
Williams told the board the capacity of the jail could be doubled from 20 beds to 40 beds by adding bunk beds to each cell if needed.
“November is our target,” Muir said. “We’re moving slowly. We’ll be in touch.”
In other business, the supervisors heard from county engineer Wade Weiss that a smaller HVAC project at the courthouse is still possible.
Weiss discussed last week’s ARPA (America Recovery Plan Act) committee meeting held with Holly Elbert of BBS, architectural engineers working on Greene County courthouse renovation projects.
With ARPA funding for the county totaling $1.7 million, Weiss said the committee is considering how to scale back the heating/cooling and restroom renovation projects.
Weiss said Elbert will meet with the ARPA committee later in August to present some plans. The preliminary discussion is to do restroom modifications to bring the courthouse into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and putting in heating and cooling runs in phases, with new heat runs in the first phase.
County attorney Thomas Laehn gave the board a working draft of the new proposed Code of Ordinances. He thanked county recorder Deb McDonald and Tori Gettler in the auditor’s office for assistance in retyping ordinances in digital format that are only available in hard copy.
“Anything not included (in the new Code) will be automatically repealed,” Laehn reminded the supervisors.
A public hearing date will be set when the board is ready to adopt the Code.
Laehn told the board ordinances pertaining to utility-scale solar energy systems could be included in the county’s zoning ordinances.
Laehn also said changes to the county’s flood plain management ordinance will need prior approval from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Laehn told the board the courthouse security committee had met and will share policy recommendations with the supervisors at the next board meeting on Aug. 8. He cited three policies for discussion regarding security planning and recommended one of the policies be discussed in closed session.
