County’s office building project nearly $1 million over budget
NORWICH – At first glance, Chenango County Finance Committee Chairman Lawrence Wilcox, R-Oxford, said the estimate presented Thursday for the West Park Place Office project was “not quite what we had anticipated seeing.”
The Board of Supervisors stamped their approval for the former county jail and sheriff’s office renovation project in November last year at an estimated cost of $2.7 million. The amount the consulting architects presented to lawmakers for the first time last week showed a bottom line of $3.5 million.
Town supervisors on the Agriculture, Buildings & Grounds Committee were unaware of the higher estimate two weeks ago when they approved the blueprints and timeline. Wilcox, who sits on both committees, said the amount wasn’t known until hours before Finance met.
With strong encouragement from Board Chairman Richard B. Decker to complete the project this year, the architects planned to put it out to bid on March 12, begin exterior refurbishing work May 7 and finish the entire job by Dec. 25.
The Finance Committee chose to table any decision to proceed.
“There’s nothing worse than a municipality going out to bid and not being able to fund the project,” Wilcox said.
“We aren’t doing the taxpayers any favors by pushing this thing along,” said committee member Wayne C. Outwater, R-Lincklaen.
On Friday, Decker said he thought the action would delay the entire project “only just for a moment.”
“Finance needs to look at what their choices are. The problem is, we didn’t know the estimate. It was a surprise, but I have to believe what they tell me about, that everything is escalating in prices,” he said.
The architects had previously hoped to begin the project last summer - and demolish the 103-year old jail cell block back in August - but were held up by the 911 communications systems still in use at the former Sheriff’s Office. Emergency Management officials have recently indicated that the systems would be removed in March. Decker, however, has urged the architects to proceed with demolition, regardless of any potential disconnection mishaps.
Wilcox and other financial leaders discussed purchasing a bond anticipation note to capitalize the project and/or applying an amount from approximately $12 million in county reserves. The county can also rely on about $150,000 annually from state and federal allocations for social services administration and capital expenses.
“The caps are allusive, but based on history, I think that (amount) can be directly expensed each year,” DSS Commissioner Bette Osborne said. About 20 social services employees will eventually occupy the two buildings.
Moving portions of the social services department to the new complex is a first step in a series of office moves designed to free up space in the county office building on Court Street in Norwich. Decker said he was hopeful that the project would proceed as planned. The Sixth Judicial District New York Supreme Court system has repeatedly requested more office space.
The scope of the project began with only demolition and exterior work for about $2.3 million. When social services agreed to partner with the county for interior renovations, the board agreed to the full scope of the project for $2.7 million.
Deputy Treasurer and Budget Officer Ardean Young reported that surplus dropped from $16 to $12 million in 2007 due to labor contracts and emergency communications system costs. Instead of cutting into surplus even more, he recommended that the committee take advantage of low interest rates for borrowing.
The architect outlined $416,500 worth of potential cutbacks, including changes in siding, flooring and roofing materials. Members of Ag, Buildings & Grounds had previously cut about $200,000.
Town of Pharsalia Supervisor Dennis Brown commented that the project would still increase $300,000 over original estimates despite the reductions.
“Are you confident with the amount?” Wilcox asked the architect, John Snyder of the John Snyder Architects. “For a quarter of a million, you ought to be,” he said, referring to the architect’s fees.
“I have a high level of confidence,” Snyder said.
The Board of Supervisors stamped their approval for the former county jail and sheriff’s office renovation project in November last year at an estimated cost of $2.7 million. The amount the consulting architects presented to lawmakers for the first time last week showed a bottom line of $3.5 million.
Town supervisors on the Agriculture, Buildings & Grounds Committee were unaware of the higher estimate two weeks ago when they approved the blueprints and timeline. Wilcox, who sits on both committees, said the amount wasn’t known until hours before Finance met.
With strong encouragement from Board Chairman Richard B. Decker to complete the project this year, the architects planned to put it out to bid on March 12, begin exterior refurbishing work May 7 and finish the entire job by Dec. 25.
The Finance Committee chose to table any decision to proceed.
“There’s nothing worse than a municipality going out to bid and not being able to fund the project,” Wilcox said.
“We aren’t doing the taxpayers any favors by pushing this thing along,” said committee member Wayne C. Outwater, R-Lincklaen.
On Friday, Decker said he thought the action would delay the entire project “only just for a moment.”
“Finance needs to look at what their choices are. The problem is, we didn’t know the estimate. It was a surprise, but I have to believe what they tell me about, that everything is escalating in prices,” he said.
The architects had previously hoped to begin the project last summer - and demolish the 103-year old jail cell block back in August - but were held up by the 911 communications systems still in use at the former Sheriff’s Office. Emergency Management officials have recently indicated that the systems would be removed in March. Decker, however, has urged the architects to proceed with demolition, regardless of any potential disconnection mishaps.
Wilcox and other financial leaders discussed purchasing a bond anticipation note to capitalize the project and/or applying an amount from approximately $12 million in county reserves. The county can also rely on about $150,000 annually from state and federal allocations for social services administration and capital expenses.
“The caps are allusive, but based on history, I think that (amount) can be directly expensed each year,” DSS Commissioner Bette Osborne said. About 20 social services employees will eventually occupy the two buildings.
Moving portions of the social services department to the new complex is a first step in a series of office moves designed to free up space in the county office building on Court Street in Norwich. Decker said he was hopeful that the project would proceed as planned. The Sixth Judicial District New York Supreme Court system has repeatedly requested more office space.
The scope of the project began with only demolition and exterior work for about $2.3 million. When social services agreed to partner with the county for interior renovations, the board agreed to the full scope of the project for $2.7 million.
Deputy Treasurer and Budget Officer Ardean Young reported that surplus dropped from $16 to $12 million in 2007 due to labor contracts and emergency communications system costs. Instead of cutting into surplus even more, he recommended that the committee take advantage of low interest rates for borrowing.
The architect outlined $416,500 worth of potential cutbacks, including changes in siding, flooring and roofing materials. Members of Ag, Buildings & Grounds had previously cut about $200,000.
Town of Pharsalia Supervisor Dennis Brown commented that the project would still increase $300,000 over original estimates despite the reductions.
“Are you confident with the amount?” Wilcox asked the architect, John Snyder of the John Snyder Architects. “For a quarter of a million, you ought to be,” he said, referring to the architect’s fees.
“I have a high level of confidence,” Snyder said.
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