Supervisors express frustration over law enforcement center project progress

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

Floyd County supervisors explored four potential options Monday morning for managing the radio dispatch center leading up to the center’s move from Charles City’s City Hall to the new county law enforcement center.

But before dispatch can move, that new law enforcement center needs to be built, and the supervisors also spent considerable time discussing frustrations with how slowly the construction project is moving.

Supervisor Doug Kamm, who is currently the board chairman, expressed his concerns regarding Prochaska & Associates, the Omaha, Nebraska, firm that is providing the architectural and design work on the project.

“All the way through this we heard from Prochaska that we’re gonna bid as soon as the weather is good, and you’re at midpoint in the year and you haven’t turned a wheel,” Kamm said.

On May 1, 2018, voters approved selling $13.5 million worth of general obligation bonds to fund the project that includes a new county jail and sheriff’s offices as well as updates such as new windows, new elevators and a new heating and cooling system for the courthouse.

But other than taking down some buildings and trees last year on property near the courthouse that will be needed for the project, there has been little done that provides visible signs of progress being made.

The Board of Supervisors holds ultimate responsibility for managing the project and making decisions on what will be included, but much of the day-to-day oversight has been handled by a “core team.”

That core team consists of Supervisor Linda Tjaden, who was board chairwoman last year and who spearheaded much of the preliminary work leading up to the bond vote; County Auditor Gloria Carr, who has responsibility for general maintenance and repair of the courthouse; and Sheriff Jeff Crooks, who will have responsibility for the new county jail and his department’s new offices.

Tjaden started giving an update on the project, as she does at most Board of Supervisors meetings.

She said Sid Samuels, owner of The Samuels Group, which is the construction manager for the project, estimated they could shave seven months off the courthouse update part of the project if the building is vacated and constructions workers have unrestricted access.

Tjaden said she is continuing to look at potential savings versus what it would cost to temporarily relocate all the courthouse offices, likely to space at 500 North Grand, and she would have a report for the board soon.

She also reported on talks with the City Council regarding parking options and work on relocating utilities in which members of the core team have been involved.

It was that point that Kamm brought up his concerns.

“I’m frustrated by this whole process,” he said. “You’re talking about doing all this work, but are you sure you’re the one who should be doing all this work? Shouldn’t those presentations with those costs and times and stuff be coming from Prochaska?”

Kamm said it feels like three different groups are designing the project: Prochaska, The Samuels Group and the core team.

“If Prochaska is not doing their job, you need to get out there and make them aware that they’re not doing their job and figure out how they’re gonna get it done,” Kamm said. “They’re costing us money — big money.”

Kamm referenced his job as owner of Kamm Excavating and his experience in construction.

“I’m an outside guy. I’m a foundation guy,” he said. “I know what it’s costing us now. It’s big, and you’re gonna wind up with a mess at the end. You’re gonna have a half-finished building and no money to finish it.”

Tjaden said she had some “very pointed conversations” with Curt Field, the Prochaska architect and project manager who has been involved in the project since well before the bond vote.

“We have done a lot of work that I think probably they should have done, but if we didn’t do it it would just have been another week, another week, …” Tjaden said. “It’s been very frustrating for us on the core team, believe me.”

Supervisor Roy Schwickerath said the Board of Supervisors could be more involved in overseeing the project, and special meetings or board workshops could be called any day of the week when needed, as long as 24-hours notice was given to the public to meet the state open meeting law requirements.

“We can come in any time,” he said.

Tjaden said she thinks one of the biggest mistakes they made was, on the advice of Prochaska, waiting to select The Samuels Group as construction manager.

“Once Samuels has been on board we’re moving,” she said.

Kamm said it’s time to bring Prochaska representatives back before the board.

“The very first thing you need to do is tell them we want to talk to them as a board and get the owner on there to tell them we are not happy, things need to happen,” Kamm said.

“Maybe you’re at the point of litigation,” he suggested.

“I don’t think we’re there,” Auditor Carr said.

“I don’t think so, either,” Tjaden said.

“I’ve tried to be as transparent to you guys as possible on the work that’s being done, and if I’m not doing that then you guys need to let me know,” Tjaden said.

“I’m not accusing or blaming anybody,” Kamm said. “I’m just saying, we need to be aware what’s happening. Time is sliding away.”

The current schedule is to have bid specifications ready for the first major part of the project including dirt moving by the end of this month.

“So there you’re 30 days away,” Kamm said. “And you’re gonna advertise (for bids) for 2½, three weeks. And then it’s gonna be three weeks before you get bonds and contracts. I’m mean, you’re already at the middle of September, October, at the very minimum.”

One development that may help speed work along now is some resolution on relocating various utilities to make way for the project.

The County Attorney’s Office has developed a draft utility document that can be used for all the utilities, Tjaden said.

On Monday afternoon a special meeting was announced for 4 p.m. today (Tuesday) for action setting a date and time for a public hearing on property easements for certain utilities.

During discussion regarding moving the dispatch center to the new law enforcement center, Schwickerath, who has been working on the topic with Charles City Council member Keith Starr, presented four possible options for managing the dispatch center:

1) The county sheriff could oversee operations, assigning a deputy to be responsible for supervising dispatch employees.

2) The county emergency management office could oversee the dispatch center, with the county emergency management director supervising the employees.

3) The Charles City police chief could continue to oversee operations and directly supervise employees as he does now.

4) A county department head position could be created among the dispatch center employees, with that person supervising the department and reporting to the Board of Supervisors.

In any case, the dispatch center employees would become employees of the county rather than the city, and that transition could even take place before the physical move into the new law enforcement center, Schwickerath said.

Questions to be answered regarding the options include the possibility of any additional costs, ease of transition and the future operations of the dispatch center, he said.

The board took no action on the topic, with members saying it will be at least a couple of years before the new law enforcement center is ready, and even then the dispatch center would not have to move right away.