Executive Committee reviews government center redesign: clinic, keycard access and site changes kept in plan; project near $7 million

Washington County Executive Committee reviewed the design-development packet for the Government Center renovation and related site work and provided staff and architect feedback on interior layouts, access control, utilities and signage.

Presenters described changes to the jury assembly room (a new south-side set of doors to allow government-center staff access, a small storage area conversion and modest interior partitioning), refinements to the county clerk and registered-deeds areas (additional shelving and file-cabinet footprint), and incorporation of a county clinic in the plan set. Staff emphasized the clinic is included in the plan so long as it proves viable; if it does not proceed, its space can be repurposed to office use with minimal cost consequences.

The committee reviewed access-control concepts intended to balance public screening and employee/staff family access. Staff described a keycard system that would allow limited, time- or location-constrained access for family members (for example, permitting entry to the clinic waiting area without granting access to secure suites such as natural resources, IT or finance). Staff also described a “ring-doorbell” approach at a controlled exterior door where clinic visitors could request entry and staff could visually confirm appointments before granting access. Presenters told the committee they have not finalized the number of family keycards per employee, noting three per family was a working example.

Site-plan changes discussed include removal of an existing fuel island, reconfiguration of the main driveway, and roughly 30 additional parking stalls relocated closer to the building. Staff noted an unimproved strip of area will remain between some stalls because of spacing and grade constraints and that an old highway shop footprint and underground conditions on the east side limit some landscape options. Committee members suggested exploring decorative or low-maintenance landscape features or a signage/feature element for the area; staff cautioned slopes and existing subsurface conditions make certain uses impractical without additional remediation.

The committee also discussed interior finishes and systems. Staff said the plan includes more detailed electrical and data-drop locations, card-reader locations, proposals to convert many fixtures to LED lighting and options to paint and refresh two stairwells where tile and paint are in poor condition. The architect and staff indicated the project will include design of fire protection systems and system upgrades as part of the construction documents.

Budget and schedule notes: committee members asked whether the project remains under the previously discussed budget; staff said the updated budget information would be discussed at the next meeting and indicated the project is still just under the $7,000,000 figure. Staff reminded the committee there are further review milestones (90% plans, specifications and permitting) and offered to provide large-format printed plan sets for members who wanted to redline drawings. The committee set the next meeting for 05/19/2025 to review budget, schedule and signage and to advance the specification work.

No formal procurement actions or contract awards were taken at the meeting; the committee offered detailed operational questions and asked staff and the architect to return with revised documents for the next review.