County approves infrastructure, software and emergency‑planning contracts

The Marion County Board approved multiple public‑works and emergency‑management items Wednesday, awarding construction and software contracts and accepting a homeland‑security grant to fund emergency operations planning for cities around the county.

Medical examiner move and remodel: Tamara Goetsch, director of business services, and facilities manager Terry Stoner presented a public improvement agreement with Woodburn Construction CMGC LLC for $454,000 to relocate administrative functions of the Marion County Medical Examiner to a new site on the Health Campus. County presenters said the change frees space to refurbish the first floor of the old health building for additional health programs; no autopsies or body storage functions will be located in the remodelled juvenile program space.

Paradigm solid‑waste software: Andrew Johnson, Public Works, presented a five‑year standard support and licensing agreement with Paradigm Software to replace the department’s aging solid‑waste transaction and reporting system. The contract maximum is $380,776.70, including licensing, cloud hosting and subscriptions. Commissioners asked staff to confirm standard contracting practice regarding 3‑year base terms with extension options; Public Works confirmed the contract includes an out clause and will follow up on term language.

Transfer station concrete repairs and ADA sidewalk upgrades: Public Works awarded a concrete repair contract at the North Marion Recycling and Transfer Station to Bricks Paving Northwest, Inc., at $139,743.75 to repair 6,425 square feet of floor with 5,000‑psi concrete. The board also approved a $155,598 contract with Emory and Sons Construction Group to install 11 Americans with Disabilities Act curb ramps on Shaft Road in Stayton, intended to remove mobility barriers at three intersections.

Homeland security grant for emergency operations plans: Greg Walsh of Emergency Management said the county will use State Homeland Security Grant Program funding of $121,345 to continue a multiyear project contracting professional planning services to update emergency operations plans for numerous smaller cities in Marion County. The county is completing plans for Hubbard, Stayton, Jefferson and Detroit and will use the new grant to work with Woodburn, Sublimity, Gates, Mill City, Turner, Keizer, Mount Angel and Silverton.

All items were approved by the board; staff noted construction schedules and coordination with operations to limit disruption on active sites.

Provenance: project descriptions and bids were presented by Public Works and Emergency Management staff; the board made and recorded motions approving each contract and the incoming funds agreement.