Commission to consider contract with Northstar Engineering and $7,500 budget amendment for DHR site survey

Houston County commissioners placed on the Monday agenda a request to authorize the chairman to negotiate and sign a contract with Northstar Engineering to survey property being considered for a Department of Human Resources (DHR) facility and to approve a $7,500 budget amendment to cover the survey cost.

The Chairman said the county recently purchased a house and surrounding land and has discussed with DHR the possibility of locating a new DHR facility on that parcel. "One of the things that we're gonna have to do is we're gonna have to survey off that property and include part of the Farm Center property that will have to be surveyed and, we have to create one parcel," the Chairman said. He told the commission he had a proposal from Northstar Engineering for $7,500 and wanted the authorization to proceed if other minor tasks by staff are ready.

The Chairman said the parcel eventually would be transferred to the Public Building Authority if the project moves forward, but that several administrative steps remain and the county is not ready to execute the survey contract immediately. He asked to add the item to Monday's agenda so the commission could authorize the chairman to finalize negotiations and approve the budget amendment if staff completes outstanding tasks before the next meeting.

The item was added to the Monday agenda by unanimous consent: "Any objection to placing that item on the agenda for Monday? No. No objection," the Chairman said. County staff indicated DHR has "tentatively agreed" to build at the site but that details remain under discussion; no binding commitment was recorded at the administrative meeting.

If approved next week, county staff will execute the survey contract and complete parcel consolidation work needed for future site transfer and building planning.