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Trustees hear progress update on Lakeland construction; staff outline inspection roles
Summary
Demolition is underway at the Lakeland Healthcare Center renovation; staff said public works engineer Nicole Whitman and city/state inspectors will monitor adherence to plans and permits.
Trustees received a construction progress update on Jan. 22 and were told demolition is underway and teams are meeting regularly with the architect and contractor.
Denise (Lakeland staff) said Nicole Whitman, the public works engineer and project manager, is overseeing the project on the county’s behalf and tracking contractor adherence to the plans. "Nicole Whitman ... she's our public works engineer and project manager," Denise said. Trustees were told regular meetings with the contractor, architect and public works staff occur every two weeks.
Board members raised concerns about long-term quality control — for example, wiring, plumbing and finishes that can cause higher costs if done poorly. Denise and others described the layered oversight: the project has city building permits and inspections, state inspections where required, and internal monitoring by Nicole and public works. "She'll track that stuff, and that's where... as you get near the end, you have those punch lists," Denise said.
Trustees were invited to attend the biweekly project meetings if they wish; staff said attendees should announce plans to avoid creating a quorum. Staff offered to send meeting invitations and to arrange for Nicole to brief the trustees directly on technical questions.
Ending
No formal action was taken; staff will continue regular construction reporting and provide photos and briefings as the project advances.
