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County reviews $10M‑plus building project package and weighs HVAC alternatives
Summary
Ellis County received preliminary design and turnkey cost estimates for several county facilities (sheriff's office remodel, an 11,500 sq ft expandable EMS/fire facility, transfer station improvements, public‑works storage and HVAC upgrades). Consultants presented VRF replacement versus water‑to‑air heat pump alternatives and contingency figures.
Consultants presented preliminary scope and rough turnkey budgets for a package of county building projects at the Nov. 12 meeting, and offered technical analysis of HVAC choices for the courthouse and administration building.
Josh Herman, vice president of architecture and design for Hutton, said the firm prepared schematic drawings and scope definitions for six projects: a sheriff's office remodel (including dispatch room and security upgrades), an expandable EMS/fire facility (about 11,500 sq ft with room for future bays), transfer station rework and small additions to improve operations, and a public‑works storage building with possible classroom space. The packet included concept drawings and breakout pages.
Jason Blake presented rough‑order‑of‑magnitude turnkey budgets covering design and construction. Blake said the estimates include allowances such as $50,000 for dispatch equipment relocation and approximately $500,000 in related allowances; alternates for the projects (e.g., additional bays, transfer‑station upgrades) represented roughly $700,000 in potential added work. The presenters noted a typical contingency posture — an allowance line and a project contingency (presented as roughly 7% and 10% in the materials) — and that standalone pricing was used for conservatism. A commissioner described the combined top‑line as "$14–15 million" in initial reaction; presenters said there may be savings if multiple projects are executed together.
Joe Glassman (Glassman Corporation) provided a technical briefing on HVAC options, telling the commission the courthouse's existing VRF (variable refrigerant flow) system has under‑sizing and reliability problems in older, heavy‑mass buildings and that water‑to‑air heat pump or chilled/hot water systems could offer longer service life and easier local maintenance. Glassman recommended design work be completed and considered both VRF replacement and water‑to‑air heat pump systems; he said life‑cycle and parts availability (many VRF components sourced from Pacific‑Rim manufacturers) are important factors.
No funding decision was taken; commissioners asked staff to prioritize projects and consider funding sources including reserves, sales tax, or bonds, emphasizing a preference to avoid tax increases.
