Onley council favors slab foundation for new town office, construction committee to review four architect proposals

Council debated foundation options for a new town office building during the April 6 meeting, with members weighing the long-term cost and maintenance implications of a crawlspace versus a slab.

Town Manager Jamye Salazar summarized architectural design requirements for the proposed office: three offices, one meeting room, an employee break room and two unisex handicapped restrooms. She said the town received four proposals in response to its RFP for Architectural Services from DJD, Becker Morgan Group, PMA Architecture and HBA Architectural Design.

Salazar raised the question of whether the town should consider modular (prefabricated) options; she noted modular units typically require a crawlspace foundation rather than a slab. Council members split on foundation preference. Councilman Daniel Bloxom, Councilman Brian Corbin and Councilman Rodney Lang favored a crawlspace; Councilman Jason Campbell, Vice-Mayor Bill Ferguson and Councilman Woody Zember favored a slab. Mayor Ned Finney cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of a slab. The construction committee will review the four proposals and make a recommendation to council at the next meeting.

Council members discussed tradeoffs: Lang emphasized that a crawlspace should be encapsulated to prevent moisture if chosen, while Campbell and Ferguson noted cost and construction timelines. Council asked staff to proceed only with proposals appropriate to the chosen foundation type and to report back at the next meeting so the committee can finalize a recommendation.

The committee also discussed the potential cost and convenience differences between modular and stick-built options and recommended the full committee review the four proposals before any contract decision.