Davison County will need more money to renovate Central Electric building

• Central Electric building

The Davison County Commissioners plan to renovate the Central Electric building, pictured here on North Main Street in Mitchell. (Chris Huber/Republic)

Talk about it

It’s becoming clear that the Davison County Commission’s projected $100,000 budget for renovation of the Central Electric Cooperative building at 1420 N. Main St. was overly optimistic.

Early estimates presented by Puetz Corp. officials during the commission’s regular Tuesday meeting at the courthouse kicked the county’s preliminary makeover budget over the $200,000 mark.

“They could decide to do a contingency transfer to cover the difference in costs,” Auditor Susan Kiepke said after the meeting, “but that’s a lot to transfer.”

The county has just $300,000 set aside to cover unexpected bills for all departments, she said.

Alternatively, the commissioners would have to hold a public supplemental budget hearing to cover the additional costs.

The county originally budgeted $675,000 for the building’s purchase and renovation — $575,000 for its purchase and $100,000 for remodeling, which will be done once Central Electric moves to its new headquarters building on Betts Road, just south of Interstate 90. That move should occur in a few weeks. The building will be used by the community health nursing staff and the county commissioners.

Mark Puetz and Puetz Corp. architect Herm Harms presented commissioners John Claggett, Denny Kiner and Gerald Weiss with the latest floor plan for consideration.

Commissioners Kim Weitala and Jerry Fischer were absent. Weitala was on vacation, and Fischer, who has opposed the purchase of the Central Electric building, said later he had some unexpected personal business.

The plan presented Tuesday put nursing office space in the north wing of the building and added two exam rooms and a new bathroom to central areas. The commissioners would use rooms in the south end of the building.

Complicating the redesign is the lack of sewer and water lines to the north wing of the building. The nurses want hand sinks for exam rooms and a restroom for patient use.

Claggett directed the Puetz team to check into the costs of adding water and sewer lines to the north end and to further consolidate nursing areas toward the building’s north end.

“It’s not a controversial thing,” Kiner said later. “It’s about finding the best use of room for the best price.”

Harms said the building’s vinyl asbestos floor tiles won’t be a major problem, but ceiling asbestos would have to be removed in areas proposed for renovation before work could begin. Asbestos abatement, or removal, costs about $3 a square foot. That would add another $7,000 to $10,000 to the $220,000 renovation estimate Puetz gave the commissioners Tuesday.

Excavation for more utility lines will increase those costs, but no estimates were immediately available.

Harms said he will try to update the plan in time for next week’s meeting.

In other business, the commissioners:

* Were told by Kiepke that preliminary insurance estimates from hail damage losses to 17 county vehicles from the May 5 hail storm have been set at $71,395. The county could receive a check for $60,876, she said. Three vehicles were declared total losses.

* Gave Highway Superintendent Rusty Weinberg permission to place a $16,500 truck listed with the federal surplus property sales in Huron on hold. The truck, if there’s money in the department budget to pay for it, will be used to transport county spray equipment.

* Were told that the county-owned semi-truck that was accidentally rolled onto its side by an employee last month will probably be declared a total loss by insurers. The trailer the truck was pulling appears to be OK, he said. Weinberg said he’s looking for a replacement tractor.

* Approved the payment of $80, plus mileage expenses, to Bernie Schmucker, for his time on the June 7 county canvassing board.

Tags: central electric, news, updates, local, davison