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| 7/29/2010 4:59:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article |
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| Emergency Management Director Pat Colwell will be getting a new office after action by the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors this week. |
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Contract for EOC construction signed
By Kent Thompson
The future of two long-discussed projects were determined Monday. One will be moving forward, the other will not.
During their regular weekly meeting, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors approved a bid with deductions and authorized the chairman to sign a contract with Sande Construction of Humboldt for the construction of a 1,350 square foot, reinforced concrete building to serve as the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The county received a $191,000 I-Jobs grant last year for the project.
The supervisors delayed action last month in awarding the contract because the bids came in about $70,000 more than engineer's expectations, even though the low bid from Sande's was about $90,000 less than the nearest competitor.
After negotiations with the contractor, engineers and governmental authorities, the supervisors on Monday approved a bid price with deductions of $276,757. Sande Construction is expected to start construction on the building soon. The EOC will serve as the incident command headquarters in the case of a major emergency or disaster in the county. It will also provide space for emergency training and office space for Pat Colwell, the county's Emergency Management director.
The new building will be located adjacent to the Humboldt County Law Enforcement Center.
In a related matter, the supervisors authorized the chairman to sign documents for a Rural Economic Development Loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Corn Belt Power Cooperative. The 10-year no-interest loan will be for $79,200. The supervisors plan to use a portion of the loan to help pay for the county costs of the EOC building.
In another much talked about item, the supervisors did approve the chairman to sign a letter of intent for an I-Jobs II Disaster Preparedness Grant for a remodel and new addition to the Humboldt County Law Enforcement Center (LEC). The Law Enforcement Center serves as the offices for the Humboldt County Sheriff's Department and the Humboldt Police Department as well as the Emergency 911 Dispatch Center.
Issues surrounding the condition of the building and the need for more space, along with better security, prompted the county to have grant writer Linda Frideres to look into possible sources of funding. Frideres came back to the county and reported she could find only one, a possible I-Jobs grant. After putting together numbers from architects and building experts, she believed the project would cost less than $525,000, for a remodeling of the existing space as well as new construction.
If grant money was received in the amount Frideres was proposing for submittal, the project would cost the county an additional $42,500, and the city of Humboldt approximately $18,200.
During a meeting July 6, the Humboldt City Council decided funds were not available and elected not to move forward with the grant.
Sheriff Dean Kruger reported Monday that he had spoken to some of the council members and believed there was some interest in applying for the grant.
Following Monday's meeting, the supervisors talked to Humboldt Mayor Walter Jensen. Jensen indicated that the council was not interested in calling a special meeting this week to revisit the issue. The deadline for application is July 31.
"Given the city's decision, the project will not be moving forward at this time," Supervisor Chair Carl Mattes told the Independent after Monday's meeting.
Meanwhile, issues with the building continue. Kruger said there is water dripping from around one of the light fixtures in the building, but a source of the leak has not been pinpointed.
The supervisors heard from citizens Lisa Ludwig and Sheila Wilson regarding the flooding at the south end of 2nd Street South in Dakota City. Ludwig was speaking on behalf of her parents, Bob and Mary Lou Foley. "I'm not sure how much longer residents can sweep water out of their homes," Ludwig said.
The ladies presented a petition asking that the homes be incorporated into the drainage district that ends at the neighboring Koob residence in Dakota City.
Supervisor Chair Carl Mattes said the drainage clerk will accept the petition and the county will move forward in studying the matter and with the procedures necessary for annexation into the district.
For all of the news in an around Humboldt County, pick up a copy of this week's Humboldt Independent, or better yet, subscribe today by calling 515-332-2514.
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