County project team reports minor change orders, cooling installation and open-house planning for new morgue building

Okanogan County staff told the Board of Commissioners that the cooler for the new morgue has arrived and been largely installed, and that a handful of small contract change orders are expected as crews finish the project.

County staff said the anticipated change orders include relocating hose reels and additional piping (about $8,300, estimated) and data-cable work (roughly $3,000–$6,000). Staff said a contractor request for an added generator pad appears to be unnecessary and will likely be removed from change-order requests. Project staff estimated the total of anticipated change orders would be “not more than 1.5 percent of the total project,” leaving the overall contingency intact.

The project lead, identified in the meeting as Mike Wharton, said, “The cooler has arrived and has largely been installed in the morgue space.” Wharton and other staff detailed outstanding small items such as final connections for the cooling system, cleanup and smoothing around the site, and labeling and patch-panel work associated with the data cabling.

Staff also reported unresolved details about the flagpole: the planned single-flag system was described as a 5-by-8 flag, and staff said the contractor is not providing the flag itself. Commissioners asked staff to confirm which flags would fly in front of the building and who will purchase them.

Officials said they are still researching electric-vehicle charging requirements tied to tax credits and other incentives. MJ Neal is contacting the City of Omak to confirm the city’s interpretation of whether power must be present and powered at the charging station for eligibility.

Commissioners discussed whether to hold an open house for the new facility. Some commissioners said materials for the public should clearly explain that the building was funded from an infrastructure fund dedicated to capital projects, not from the county’s general operating budget.

Staff said they will bring finalized change-order amounts forward when they become available and will confirm remaining items such as the flagpole configuration and EV-charging qualification before scheduling a public open house.

A final payment or acceptance schedule was not set during the report; staff said they would return with updated cost details and any recommended procurement steps.