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Supervisors direct staff to pursue modest EOC expansion and AV upgrades
Summary
The board directed staff to proceed with a tentative plan to expand and reconfigure the county emergency operations center (EOC) basement space, with a preliminary construction estimate of about $150,657 plus contingencies and a separately bid audiovisual upgrade estimated roughly at $150,000.
Story County supervisors on Oct. 14 gave staff direction to pursue a modest expansion and reconfiguration of the county Emergency Operations Center in the administration building basement to increase flexibility and add roughly 300 square feet of usable space.
Presenters Joby and Melissa described an architect’s estimate of $150,657 for the construction scope — primarily removal of an existing block wall, installing a door on the hallway, in-floor communication and electrical jacks, and repurposing existing cabinets — and said a 20% construction contingency would likely put the total near $180,000. They recommended procuring a new audiovisual (AV) system concurrently but bidding the AV separately to avoid excessive general-contractor markups; presenters estimated AV replacement costs could be approximately $150,000.
“I would say probably because I know that there’s outfits looking for work... 6 months, it should be start to finish,” Joby said when asked about schedule, adding that much of the work is demolition, concrete cutting and repouring.
Melissa and Joby said the county commission has money set aside for AV and soft costs; staff indicated a budget amendment in January could move designated reserve funds into capital projects to cover construction if the board proceeds. Supervisors expressed support for the plan’s incremental approach and for county-led construction with commission-paid AV equipment.
The board asked staff to begin the request-for-proposals process and return with a formal budget amendment and timeline; supervisors also discussed temporary staff accommodations during construction. No formal appropriation vote was taken at the meeting — the board provided direction to proceed with design and procurement planning.
