July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Jail costs still top $7.3 million
Jay County Commissioners
After a review of the bids for the Jay County Jail expansion, the final project tag is close to $7.3 million.
And that's still $500,000 over the engineer's estimate of $6.8 million.
Jeff Badders of SchenkelShultz told Jay County Commissioners Monday that after further review of the jail bids and a meeting with apparent low bidder Weigand Construction, Fort Wayne, that the construction costs on the project have dropped to about $7.3 million.
Weigand submitted a bid of $7,693,000 for the full project, but alternates combined with a few cost-trimming measures shaved that number down slightly.
Badders told the commissioners that the main reason behind the bids coming in close to $1 million over the engineer's estimate was due to masonry costs. Costs for concrete and masonry work on the structure have remained high, where other material costs have dipped during the past year or so.
If the building was more of a steel-based structure, Badders said, the bids would have been on target.
"We are to think it over," said commissioner Faron Parr of the county's next move, which will be to decide whether to move forward with the project at a half million dollars over estimates.
Parr noted that, in the long run, the more important thing will be locking in a good interest rate during the bonding process, which will save the county more money in payments over the term of the loan.
The commissioners were informed Monday morning by county auditor Nancy Culy that the county received an A-plus bond rating from Standard and Poors.
The commissioners can hold the jail bids for 90 days. Those bids were opened June 9.
The commissioners also spoke with Sheriff Ray Newton Monday, who is trying to forecast his staff needs for the 2010 budget.
Newton said he will likely need another transport officer at the jail to handle female inmates - a population which has significantly increased during the last year. When not doing transports, that officer would work in the jail area. The sheriff also suggested that he may reduce the need for cooks and have inmates help with daily meal preparation.
The commissioners told Newton to put whatever he thinks he will need into his budget and the Jay County Council will review it and make cuts if necessary.
In other business Monday, the commissioners:
•Made Newton purchasing agent to buy a DVM500 Digital Video Mirror kit from Digital-Ally, along with ammunition.
•Heard a presentation from Dennis Wright and Marv Loutsenhizer from IntraHealth Solutions, Inc. about operating a county-owned health clinic to control health costs.
The idea had also been pitched to Jay Schools in February.[[In-content Ad]]
And that's still $500,000 over the engineer's estimate of $6.8 million.
Jeff Badders of SchenkelShultz told Jay County Commissioners Monday that after further review of the jail bids and a meeting with apparent low bidder Weigand Construction, Fort Wayne, that the construction costs on the project have dropped to about $7.3 million.
Weigand submitted a bid of $7,693,000 for the full project, but alternates combined with a few cost-trimming measures shaved that number down slightly.
Badders told the commissioners that the main reason behind the bids coming in close to $1 million over the engineer's estimate was due to masonry costs. Costs for concrete and masonry work on the structure have remained high, where other material costs have dipped during the past year or so.
If the building was more of a steel-based structure, Badders said, the bids would have been on target.
"We are to think it over," said commissioner Faron Parr of the county's next move, which will be to decide whether to move forward with the project at a half million dollars over estimates.
Parr noted that, in the long run, the more important thing will be locking in a good interest rate during the bonding process, which will save the county more money in payments over the term of the loan.
The commissioners were informed Monday morning by county auditor Nancy Culy that the county received an A-plus bond rating from Standard and Poors.
The commissioners can hold the jail bids for 90 days. Those bids were opened June 9.
The commissioners also spoke with Sheriff Ray Newton Monday, who is trying to forecast his staff needs for the 2010 budget.
Newton said he will likely need another transport officer at the jail to handle female inmates - a population which has significantly increased during the last year. When not doing transports, that officer would work in the jail area. The sheriff also suggested that he may reduce the need for cooks and have inmates help with daily meal preparation.
The commissioners told Newton to put whatever he thinks he will need into his budget and the Jay County Council will review it and make cuts if necessary.
In other business Monday, the commissioners:
•Made Newton purchasing agent to buy a DVM500 Digital Video Mirror kit from Digital-Ally, along with ammunition.
•Heard a presentation from Dennis Wright and Marv Loutsenhizer from IntraHealth Solutions, Inc. about operating a county-owned health clinic to control health costs.
The idea had also been pitched to Jay Schools in February.[[In-content Ad]]
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