Board approves CMBA contract to design demolition of Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center at 407 Seventh St.

The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to approve an architectural-services contract with CMBA Architects to prepare plans and specifications for demolition of the county's former Law Enforcement Center at 407 Seventh Street.

Kenny Smith, building services, told the board the contract will allow CMBA to draft the project plans and specifications so the county can move to a public bidding phase. "This agenda item has been a long time coming," Smith said. "This contract will allow CMBA to draft the plans and specifications for the demolition project itself. Once those plans and specifications are approved by this board, we'll move forward with the bidding process and begin demolition."

Terry Glade of CMBA said the team would work quickly but that much of the early work requires civil engineering inputs and regulatory steps. "We're gonna go as quickly as possible," Glade said. He and staff estimated several preliminary tasks — civil engineering, public notices and hearings — would take a few months; Glade and a supervisor also estimated demolition itself could be about three months, depending on conditions and needed site work.

Board members asked whether the project was likely to draw bidders; Glade said out-of-state contractors had contacted the county and he expected a competitive field. The motion to approve the CMBA contract was recorded as "Motion by Bendinger, second by Nelson," and the board voted "aye," with the vote announced as passing 5-0.

Smith noted additional steps will follow the contract approval, including drafting specifications, public notice periods and a formal bid process before any demolition work starts.