The proposed guaranteed maximum price agreement for construction of a trusty building was approved by Hopkins County Commissioners Court, readying the project for the start of construction in approximately 1 month.
The Commissioners Court was asked to “consider and take appropriate action on the proposed Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) and Amendment Number 1 to the construction manager-at-risk agreement with SEDALCO Construction Services for construction of the Hopkins County Trusty Building; and to authorize the County Judge to execute required documents related to Amendment Number 1 of the agreement.”
County Commissioners, the sheriff and his personnel met a couple of weeks ago with DRG Architects and Sedalco to review bids submitted to Sedalco for the project. Monday, the Commissioners Court was presented with the GMP. Jeremy Smith, project director at SEDALCO Construction Services, was present at Monday’s meeting to formally present the report and any questions related to it.
Wayne Gondeck with DRG Architects, which was also involved with construction of the current 200 bed Hopkins County Justice Center (new jail/sheriff’s Office), were on hand Monday morning during the regular Commissioners Court meeting.
“What that means is you have a base contract with the construction manager-at-risk for the pre-services and construction services for hte construction of this building. What this does is this sets the price for that, the guaranteed maximum price, and it initiates the actual construction of that project. But All the terms and conditions of that construction have already been reviewed and determined by the base contract. This is basically setting the price today of the project,” Gondeck said.
Smith presented the proposed contact with a GMP of $4,799,477 for a 48-bed trusty facility, which is still within the budget for the project. After the previous meeting, he noted, his company got back pricing for fiber to connect security between the current jail and law enforcement center with the new building to be constructed across the street. With that added expense, Smith said as discussed, he did adjust some other things as discussed to keep costs within budget.
“I just want to make note that the funds for this are the American Rescue Funds and there’s $4,900,000 sitting in there right now. It’s not coming from the general fund, or road and bridge fund. It’s coming from the American Rescue Fund that’s been set aside for this project,” County Auditor Shannah Aulsbrook noted.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Wade Bartley and Aulsbrook emphasized said that means no bonds were needed or sought, nor any other debt incurred to fund the project, only funds awarded to the county by the America Rescue Fund.
“What we have basically, is what we talked about. The first month will be all paperwork. Actually, Will Burgess is back here and will be the contract manger,” Smith said, pointing to the individual in the courtroom. He’s already started working on contracts and letters of intent to the subtractors to get those guys locked in and ready to go for us. So, once this is signed we’ll actually go to release those contracts to those vendors and get those submittals and everything going so we can get materials started.”
Smith noted two alternate options discussed by the construction and architects and the county officials at the recent meeting: stockpiling on site, which could save $48,879, and is not included in the price as it was being presented for consideration at Monday’s meeting; and certain permit costs, whether the city is willing to provide some assistance with that expense, which would be credited back to the county if granted. The first would stockpile soil dug out, which if hauled off by the county could result in the nearly $49,000 savings noted.
Work crews likely wouldn’t be on the job site until December, Smith noted.
Bartley said that could mean some county employees would not be available to haul the dirt away immediately, due to people being off at different times during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
Smith said the dirt wouldn’t have to be hauled off right away. It could be stockpiled in the back and hauled off in later.
The county judge said as he understands, the sooner hte project can get moving the better, as the jail has been at maximum capacity for a while.
“We’ve been needing this for quite a while. It’s exciting to get this under way so we can continue our growth down there,” Sheriff Lewis Tatum said.
“I think it’s going to be a plus for our trusty program that the sheriff’ implements, that it will keep trusties a little bit more separate from the general population. To me it should help those men and women, maybe in their self confidence maybe to get rehabilitated, to be productive citizens once they get out of jail,” said Bartley.
“It will go a lot of things for us. They will be able to maintain themselves a lot better and prepare themselves to go back into the city and our civilization instead of being incarcerated so much. Also, it will make it so much easier for us to get them in and out of the jail. You are going into a maximum security facility. This way, minimum security, it will be easier for the people picking them up and letting them off,” Tatum said.
The sheriff noted that the facility will benefit the city, county and all residents, through the trusties who save the city and county money in the labor they provide in various areas and departments.
“I know it’s a lot of work he and his staff are going to do, but in the long run helps everyone out,” Tatum said.
Bartley made the motion which Precinct 4 Commissioner Joe Price seconded, to approve the GMP and authorizing the county judge to sign the documents related to that. The motion was unanimously approved by the Commissioners Court.
