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Commission tables McKinley contract, allocates $668,524 toward animal-control facility
Summary
After debate over a percentage-based design fee and missing cost details, the commission tabled a design contract with McKinley Architecture and approved allocating $668,524 in FY carryover levy funds to bring the animal-control project allocation to roughly $3 million.
The Harrison County Commission tabled approval of a professional-services contract with McKinley Architecture & Engineering for the county’s planned animal-control facility and separately approved allocating $668,524 in carryover levy funds toward the project.
During a lengthy discussion, staff and commissioners described the contract as a professional services agreement that ties designer pay to an 8% fee of the anticipated construction cost. Staff said the contract used an anticipated construction budget of $4,000,000, which would make McKinley’s fee about $320,000 under the stated formula. Several commissioners objected that a percentage-based approach leaves the county exposed if construction bids deviate from the preliminary budget and asked if a fixed design fee or clearer cost breakdown could be substituted.
“Are you asking for us to impact with a fixed price for the design instead of a percentage?” one commissioner asked. Commissioners also noted missing line-item cost breakdowns and open design items — including sewer work and a generator — that should be included before committing to the agreement. Commissioners asked for additional detailed estimates, noting in-house estimating and third-party estimators produce different results.
Given those concerns, a commissioner moved to table the McKinley contract so staff could obtain clearer schematic cost breakdowns and address the open items; the motion carried by voice vote.
Separately, the commission voted to allocate $668,524 in last year’s levy carryover to the animal-control project, increasing the county’s committed funding toward a total allocation cited in the meeting of roughly $3,000,000. County staff said once the McKinley agreement is finalized they plan to issue RFPs for survey and environmental work and then proceed toward construction bidding.
The commission did not set a new deadline for bringing a revised McKinley agreement back but asked staff to return with the requested cost details.
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