Washington County to move forward on $7.04 million administration building renovation; staff to award alternates

Scott (county staff) told the Washington County Board that the total budget for the administration-building renovation is $7,037,083 and that the low base bid for the included work is about $5.2 million. "Total budget, is $7,000,000.37 dollars 7,037,083," Scott said.

The budget covers the included renovation work plus a bundle of optional alternates (carpeting, painting, corner guards, corridor and corridor lighting, furniture and IT, and security film). The architect's 90% plans estimated a higher cost; the low bidder, Seltzer Orange, submitted a base bid roughly $600,000 below the architect's estimate. Scott said contingencies are set at about 8.9 percent.

Why it matters: the work affects multiple county functions and spaces — including the district attorney's office, the clerk of courts, human resources and finance offices, and public corridors — and will draw on existing CIP (Capital Improvement Program) funds shifted into this project. Board members raised questions about recurring operating costs and schedule impacts for staff and the public.

Details of bids and alternates Scott said the county received four competitive bids with base bids ranging from about $5.2 million to $5.5 million. The low bidder, Seltzer Orange, was the firm that previously remodeled the boardroom and restrooms and, Scott said, "they worked on all 3 floors of the building," which staff cited as a reason for confidence in their ability to meet schedule and minimize change orders.

Board discussion focused on whether to award the alternates now or delay them. Supervisor Krebs noted the alternates were competitively priced and that the same contractor was often lowest on alternates as well. "If you were to save those for a later date, it would cost you more than doing them right now," Supervisor Krebs said. Supervisor Cowher agreed: "If they're good cosmetic things that need to be done, let's get it done."

Alternates described in the packet (numbered in the bid package) include: new carpeting and wall base and painting in several office suites (alternates 1–4); corridor railing upgrades to meet current code; new LED corridor lighting (alternate for corridor lights); furniture and IT equipment buyout (budgeted separately); and security window film for select first-floor locations (alternate 7), the latter recommended after a sheriff's deputy attended a national seminar. Scott said the county can fund the included work and the alternates from the project budget and moved CIP savings into the project to cover some items.

Operating costs and procurement Board members asked about ongoing costs: Scott said digital exterior and interior signage will carry annual costs; staff estimated about $3,000 per year to operate signage at this building plus the justice center and PAC, and that card-access systems have ongoing fees similar to current arrangements but may use a different provider. On furniture, Scott said there is a roughly $300,000 line that staff is working to reduce through repurposing county-owned furniture, state contract pricing, and buyout opportunities; staff are also planning adjustable-height workstations in many locations.

Timeline and contractor performance Seltzer Orange submitted one of the more condensed schedules among bidders. For the exterior/parking-lot base work Scott reported Seltzer Orange proposed an August 25 start and a November 7 completion; for interior work the firm proposed a November start that would still meet the project's completion date. Scott said the firm has met schedules on previous Washington County projects and that staff vetted their proposed timeline with them.

Decisions and next steps The committee did not record a formal vote on awarding the base contract during the discussion recorded here, but Scott said staff will proceed. "It looks like we're gonna go ahead and award those alternate bids tomorrow to get that work done for all of them," Scott said. The packet author noted the committee's preference to bundle alternates so work can be done while areas are already opened for renovation, avoiding repeated disruption later. The committee discussed holding a follow-up meeting or walkthrough around the November interior start to review the kick‑off and completed exterior work.

The meeting also approved the minutes from May 19 as posted at the start of the session.

What remains open The transcript records staff direction to award alternates and plans for a November check-in; it does not record a formal board motion to award the base contract during this session, nor a roll-call vote on contractor award in the recorded excerpt. The security-film locations were discussed in closed session and were noted as a separate bid item; the transcript does not list the specific windows or yield an exact cost breakdown for every alternate (some amounts are not specified).