Facilities staff report design‑development milestone for jail justice center

Stearns County facilities staff on June 24 reported progress on the jail justice center design, saying the architect released the project’s design‑development drawings and specifications — a milestone that detailed equipment selections and construction requirements.

Facilities Manager Kevin Kornick said the materials total more than 900 pages across multiple volumes and that county staff and the city are reviewing utility connections, including water, sewer and power, to determine the best routes and whether a looped water main is appropriate. Kornick said design work on jail systems is moving rapidly and the construction manager is preparing a detailed line‑by‑line estimate to approximate bid‑day results.

Staff reported market signals showing some neighboring projects have come in under estimate and that contractor interest in the current market is strong, which Kornick called encouraging for competition. The board authorized staff to pursue a third‑party HVAC commissioning agent (on the agenda) to act as an owner’s advocate for complex mechanical systems; Kornick said the commissioning scope will be tailored to the final project scope.

Kornick said Elk Creek Consulting (a former jail administrator and state corrections expert) is assembling recommendations on policy, training and operations to inform the project; the board will receive further budget and bid‑package recommendations at future July and August meetings. Staff also reported ongoing annexation petition work connected to the project site and said sales‑tax collection oversight is proceeding.