County details $2.5M in annual support for Hagerstown services and approves $7.73M tactical village contract

Washington County officials on Wednesday outlined how county funds support city emergency services and moved forward with construction of a tactical village at the Public Safety Training Center.

David Hayes, the county’s emergency services director, provided a line‑item summary of county contributions to Hagerstown service delivery. Hayes said recurring items such as EMS supplies, ladder/pump/hose support and portable radios equate to roughly $239,689.11 annually; he also said the county provided 89 portable radios at a capital cost of about $1.2 million (which Hayes annualized to about $119,000 per year). Including other allocations and CRS support that frequently serves the city, Hayes estimated the county’s annual contribution to Hagerstown service delivery at just under $2.5 million. “Collectively, if you put those together, it's just short of $2,500,000 a year annually that goes into supporting service delivery to the citizens of Hagerstown,” Hayes said.

Hayes also reviewed the Public Safety Training Center’s current investments: more than $22 million spent on the academic building and an agenda item to approve about $7.4 million for site work to enable additional phases. He said the full campus when finished could represent roughly $50 million in investment in public‑safety training.

On a related agenda item, Scott Hobbs, the county’s director of engineering, recommended awarding the tactical village Phase 1 contract to C. William Hetzer of Hagerstown for $7,734,871.55 and requested a $400,000 budget adjustment from capital reserves (LDI-063). Hobbs said five bids were received and total Phase 1 expenses, including inspection and contingency, are estimated at about $8.1 million. Commissioners asked about the large spread between the low and high bidder; Hobbs said local contractors sometimes submit lower bids and the team reviewed responsiveness. The motion to award the contract and approve the budget adjustment passed unanimously.

The board’s approvals fund initial grading, concrete work, stormwater management and paving for an apparatus operator/defensive driving area; future phases will add training props and structures for police, fire and EMS personnel. The contract includes liquidated-damage language and a 275‑calendar‑day completion timeline.

Next steps: staff will issue the notice to proceed in January and begin site work in spring once procurement and contract documents are finalized.