Options for new shop debated

By MICHAEL MARESH

Staff writer

Everyone seems to agree that a proposed road and bridge station in Peabody should be built in phases, but the type of materials for the shell of the building is undecided.

Clint Hibbs from BG Consultants and Cody Nelson with NF Construction discussed with county commissioners Monday the difference between wood and steel shells.

With a steel pre-engineered shell, there would be savings because only a slab would be needed. A post frame requires a foundation.

Hibbs said the construction could be phased in with the first part being a shell, insulation, a concrete base, and plumbing.

“You have the possibility of paying under $300,000 to $450, 000,” Hibbs said.

The county could do some of the work to save money, he said.

“We do recommend the shell, a concrete slab, plumbing and some electrical wiring,” he said.

If there was concern what the cold weather could do to the equipment stored there, electrical heaters might be needed, he said.

Chairman Jonah Gehring asked the consultants whether having four to five doors to the building was envisioned as happening. Each would add another $4,000 to $5,000 to the project.

The county could delay or take out items and add them back onto the project later, by making the building expandable, Nelson said.

“You are not hurting yourself,” he said.

County administrator Tina Spencer mentioned the commissioners indicated they wanted Nelson to do some of the design, grading, and foundation work.

Gehring wanted to know whether the county had funds to pay, and when Spencer replied there`was money in the budget, Gehring wanted to know how much. He was not answered.

Hibbs said his ideas were just a starting point.

“This is just enough to get you in with the capacity to build out in the future,” he said.

Gehring liked what he heard from Nelson and Hibbs, but said the cost was a little worrisome.

“We have got to have a smaller figure,” he said.

Nelson and Hibbs will come back to detail the pros and cons of the different shells.

In other business Monday, commissioners spent nearly an hour in executive sessions.

Around 1:30 p.m., an hour into the meeting, commissioners went into executive session for 15 minutes to discuss personnel with ambulance director Mickey Price.

About 3 p.m. commissioners went into executive session for close to 20 minutes to discuss an unspecified proposed real estate acquisition.

Immediately upon returning to open session, they closed the meeting again to discuss courthouse security with Sheriff Jeff Soyez.

After the third executive session, the meeting adjourned with only one commissioner making a public comment.

County counselor Brad Jantz did not attend the meeting.