Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Management Facilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County officials briefed on Springdale 911/EMA facility; $24.4M project on track for October completion
Summary
Hamilton County facilities and EMA staff told commissioners the new emergency management and 911 communications complex in Springdale is on schedule and within budget; major systems and storm‑shelter work are underway and the project will include dedicated staff wellness and lactation rooms.
County facilities staff and Emergency Management Agency (EMA) officials updated the Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners on March 4 on the county’s new combined EMA and 911 facility in Springdale, saying the $24.4 million renovation is on schedule with a substantial completion target in October.
Ryka Thacker, assistant director for county facilities, summarized the project scope: the building sits on nearly four acres in Springdale, is about 41,000 square feet and will relocate the communications center from Civic Center Drive while providing EMA with renovated leased space. She reported roughly $2 million remains in the project budget and listed near‑term milestones including a new Duke Energy power feed, a completed storm shelter and delivery of long‑lead items such as switchgear and emergency generators.
Thacker said current interior work includes casework, flooring, painting and electrical and plumbing rough‑in; exterior work includes storm‑shelter walls, parking‑lot work and antenna installations. Furniture and workstation deliveries were scheduled for June, with specialized technology installation for EMA/911 in September. A nine‑one‑one communications tower was completed in 2023, she noted.
Morgan Peterson, assistant director of EMA, thanked the board for support and called the new facility “a tremendous facility” that will improve coordination during disasters. EMA Director Knapp described the new space as more modern and underscored the operational need for more room and upgraded technology, adding the building’s layout and purpose‑built spaces will also help recruit and retain personnel.
Commissioners asked about interior programming and staff amenities. Officials said the facility includes a large shared cafeteria, separate administrative offices and multiple quiet “activity” rooms where staff can decompress during long 12‑hour shifts. The design also provides lactation/mother rooms to support new mothers on staff. The storm shelter, required because the renovated structure lacks a basement, will be a reinforced structure adjacent to the building to provide safety in severe‑weather events.
Monarch Construction is the contractor and KZF is the architect, county staff said. A ribbon‑cutting date was not set; staff said they will provide completion updates as the long‑lead equipment deliveries and technology installation proceed.
