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Commissioners approve design contract for new Environmental Services building; fee cited around $295,000–$301,000
Summary
The board approved an architectural and engineering contract to design a new Environmental Services building intended to improve fleet access and operations; staff cited design fees of approximately $295,625 to $301,000 and said some contingencies (surveying, borings, fire suppression) were excluded and may add cost.
The Ashe County Board of Commissioners voted May 19 to approve a design contract with the firm that responded to the county’s request for qualifications to design a replacement Environmental Services building.
County staff said the current environmental services building is too small to accommodate the fleet of roll‑off and garbage trucks and that the project had been discussed for years. The selected firm responded to the RFQ and proposed architectural and structural engineering fees that staff characterized as “right at $301,000,” while the document’s back page showed a figure the presenter read as $295,625. Staff said the figures include contingencies for surveying and geotechnical borings and that construction‑phase and bidding fees would be additional and would be paid from the next fiscal year’s budget if the board chooses to proceed.
Commissioners asked whether a nearby historic log cabin would have to be removed under the proposed layout; staff said the early orientation shows the new building angled behind the cabin and that the cabin could remain in place and still be used. Commissioners also asked about fire suppression and whether a sprinkler system was required; staff said sprinkler design was excluded from the base fee but that a contingency for fire suppression had been provided and the board could elect to include sprinkler design if operational needs (fuel, oils in the building) warranted it.
A motion to approve the design contract was made and seconded; the board voted to approve the contract and proceed with the design work. Staff said construction administration, bidding, and the capital outlay would be addressed in next year’s budget and that some preconstruction fees can be reimbursed if the county finances the project later.
No construction contract was awarded at the May 19 meeting; the action covered only design and related preconstruction services.
