Friday, April 26, 2024
The Coryell County Commissioners Court approved a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of nearly $4.8 million for a 47-bed jail expansion at 510 Leon St. that had been presented by the contractor Butler-Cohen.
The action was taken during a special meeting of the commissioners court on April 17.
"We probably have all crunched a few numbers and added them a little differently," said County Judge Roger Miller. "I went off tax estimates we were given in January. ... I hope we don't split hairs."
The total GMP is $4.788 million. One issue that delayed approval was disagreement over whether three alternates to the contract could be included in the GMP.
Those alternates included a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, a new fire alarm system and possible replacement of metal panels on the jail's front facade.
Miller and Commissioner Scott Weddle said they believed the agenda item's wording permitted the three alternate items to be voted on, while Kyle Matthews said he was not comfortable with the wording of the agenda item and that he preferred to get feedback from County Attorney Brandon Belt before he voted.
As a result, voting was delayed in order to seek Belt's input. Belt later said that the court did have the authority to include the alternates as part of the agenda item.
Regarding the three alternates, Matthews said he was in favor of the air conditioning option.
"I think it's important," he said.
Miller and Weddle voiced their agreement.
"I hope we can decide on the three alternates today, and I think the HVAC truly does need to be included," Miller said.
The second item, replacing the existing fire alarm system "is pretty pricey," Miller said. "Do you view this as a three-to-five-year project and then this jail is phased out or do you see a continuing use beyond five years?"
Weddle said if the system is not upgraded, there is no guarantee the expanded jail would pass inspection, adding that the current system "is antiquated."
Commissioner Keith Taylor said not upgrading the system could open the county to future difficulties.
"I believe it would cost more if it fails," he said.
Matthews said he believes the current system is original to the jail.
"It was put in in 1990 or 1991," Commissioner Ryan Basham added.
"I would put it in as an alternate — it's $166,000," Matthews said. "I think the jail (expansion) itself is for five years and we're going to have to move and go larger. People will have to vote on it for the third time."
Weddle said he did not know what the market would be for the current jail when a new facility is built.
"The jail commission had some pretty good ideas (about future uses)," Taylor said.
Alternate three involves replacing some of the metal panels in front of the jail.
"We just replaced them four years ago — I think it was 2019 when some mold remediation was done," Miller said. "I hate to see us spend $11,500 to replace panels that are only three or four years old."
Weddle said "it's very low on my priority list.
"If it's functional, it's functional," Matthews said.
"Summarizing comments, Miller said, "We're very interested in including alternate one and two and not in alternate three."
He again expressed his surprise that the guaranteed maximum price given to the commissioners court was $476,098 more than expected.
"I was really not prepared for that," Miller said. "I thought the contingent amount they built in would have covered that.
"My recommendation to the court is that the amount we give Mr. (Jeff) Heffelfinger reduces the scope of the expansion. I think we can adjust some furnishings and come close to that amount in cost savings."
