EMA will build near fire station
Plans for the new Montgomery County Emergency Management building are taking shape.
The Emergency Management Commission met Wednesday to discuss the latest proposal. Emergency management director Brian Hamman said he had examined his needs for office and storage space, and measured his department’s trailers and those of the Red Oak Fire Department, as the city expressed an interest in a joint project. That would have the new EMA offices located north of the fire station, between it and the football field, with a portion of the new building’s storage used to house some of the fire department’s overflow equipment.
Hamman told the committee he was initially looking at a building measuring 64 by 80 feet, but after measuring, he found the building would already be at capacity, which prompted a larger design.
“I’m now looking at a 64-foot by 100-foot building. It suits our needs, and provides a little room for expansion, while providing space for the fire department’s equipment and some room for them to grow down the road as well. The city would occupy around 35 to 40 feet of the building,” Hamman said.
City manager Brad Wright said the city’s portion of payment would be for whatever percentage of the building they occupy which is insulated and heated. Hamman said the office space, and other amenities such as plumbing and electricity, would all be paid through emergency management. An initial quote for the building’s cost was roughly $240,000.
The building plans include an office, a second room for technology, a bathroom, and a conference room.
Wright questioned the need for a conference room, and said he was more in favor of Hamman using the meeting room at the fire station. Committee member Bryant Amos said he could understand the concerns, but felt the conference room would have additional uses.
“This building, I believe in the next three years, will be packed. The conference room could potentially be used for storage space, if needed. I don’t see the need to remove the conference room when you’re already constructing a building of this size. You’re not saving that much on costs,” Amos said.
The commission voted in favor of the design of the building, at 64-by-100 feet. Wright, representing the city of Red Oak, was the only no vote. Wright said his no vote on the building design would not affect the agreement between the city and EMA for cost sharing on the building’s design.
Hamman then shared proposals for hiring an engineer for the building project. Snyder & Associates of Atlantic quoted an estimated cost of $31,900 for preliminary design services, final design services, bid services, and construction-related expenses. HGM Associates Inc. of Council Bluffs quoted $12,500, for surveying and preliminary design, and the final design, bid services, and construction administration costs would be 6.5 percent of the total probable costs. Hamman said as an example, if the building were a $400,000 project, the costs of those services would be $26,000, in addition to the $12,500 initial costs. The final bid was from McClure Engineering Company of Red Oak. Its quote was $60,000 for preliminary and final design, bid services, and construction administrative services.
The commission unanimously approved the proposal from Snyder & Associates for engineering work.
In other business, the commission:
• Approved a budget amendment of $29,538 for fiscal year 2016/17.
• Set Feb. 1 at 11:30 a.m. as the date of the public hearing for 2016/17 budget amendment, and the fiscal year 2017/18 budget.