7 years, 3 months ago by Scott Hardy
Architects from HOK and local law enforcement will meet Wednesday to bring down amount
An Adams County Board sub-committee has learned that the projected cost of building the new Adams County Jail is over its' original budget, and that the architects in charge of designing the facility plan to work for a second day with local law enforcement to bring down the cost of the building.
The Adams County Board's Jail sub-committee learned Tuesday night that as of right now, the Jail project is $1.8 million over budget. That figure had been $4 million, but architects with Chicago-based firm HOK met with both Adams County Sheriff Brian VonderHaar and Quincy Police Chief Rob Copley throughout the day Tuesday to bring that cost down. After the meeting, Senior Project Designer Greg Cook with HOK said that more savings are possible.
( Greg Cook :13 )
The square footage in the office space for the Sheriff's Department and QPD is where Cook, VonderHaar and Copley will look at trimming Wednesday. The Sub-Committee didn't take any action, and plans to meet again Wednesday night at 6 PM, before a special meeting of the full County Board at 7 PM.
Meanwhile, the City of Quincy's Finance Committee has recommended the city fund it's share of the new Jail by issuing bonds.
The Committee voted Tuesday night to recommend to the full Council that the city issue a 10-year bond to raise the $4.2 million it promised to pay the County for the new Jail. Bernardi Securities would handle the bond sale for the city. It's worked with the city on numerous bonds, including the refinancing last year of a 2008 bond. The council is expected to vote on the measure next week, and should they approve, the bonds would be sold in time for the city to make its payment to the county by the March 1st deadline.
Under the agreement, the city will pay the $4.2 million, as well as re-pave a city lot near the Jail, and help re-locate sewer and water lines on the closed-off section of Sixth Street. In return, the Quincy Police Department will rent space in the new Jail for 20 years, and merge some functions with the Adams County Sheriff's Department.
