With the hiring of the architectural firm Clemons-Rutherford & Associates (CRA), the county jail project has entered into its next phase.
Owner Bill Rutherford, speaking at the recent Lyon Commissioner meeting, explained the scheduled schematic design phase of the project. He will present an update of this process in November – to allow the commission to see where the process is at - and estimated a completion date of the schematic of approximately December 3.
Commissioner Larry McPherson continued to question the Yerington site; however, he was reminded by Commissioner Chuck Roberts the commission voted (3-2) well over a year ago to limit the addressing of jail crowding and safety concerns to the current Yerington jail site and it was inappropriate to continually bring this issue up. McPherson has been a vocal opponent of the Yerington site, advocating a new facility in the central Lyon County area.
The commissioners voted in December 2007 to locate jail improvements/expansion in Yerington. In March 2008 they approved a ¼-cent sales tax increase – to be dedicated to the Yerington site.
Following lengthy discussion, the board encouraged Rutherford to move forward with the process. Discussion regarding the advertizing/hiring process for a project General Contractor will be placed on an upcoming agenda. Rutherford suggested the General Contractor should be in place close to the completion of the schematic phase.
Rutherford said he will be working with Sheriff’s Department personnel, judges and others associated with use of the proposed facility to gain needed input to come up with the schematic drawing, which will include office space, bed count, bed arrangement, etc. When completed, he will then project as detailed an estimated cost as can be done with a schematic drawing.
All concepts put forward in the assessment study completed by Harris & Associates will be considered.
“It will be as detailed as possible so you will know where we are going cost wise. We need to be certain we are going in the right direction with the end of the schematics,” he told the board. He said it would up to them to then determine if the costs are acceptable, or if adjustments in the size and scope of the project need to be made.
Rutherford emphasized nothing moves forward with the project without commission approval.
He said when the “Construction Manager at Risk” is hired, he will closely review the schematic based estimates done by his firm and “make sure all is correct.” The Construction Manager will be hired by the County through an interview process. He must give a guaranteed maximum high cost of the project up front.
“We will do our estimates totally independent from the General Contractor. We will then compare and go over them in detail,” Rutherford said.
All subcontract lowest and best bids will be brought to the Board by the Construction Manager for approval. If the total cost of the project exceeds the General Contractor’s guaranteed maximum cost, or change orders are needed, he is responsible for absorbing those costs.
Each and every item within the project will have a separate bid package. If the General Contractor wants to do any particular phase(s), he must also submit a bid package for that phase.
Rutherford also noted that subcontractors must be judged on qualifications related to having done similar safety complex projects.
In other discussion related to the project, County Project Manager Donette Barretto explained she and Commissioner Roberts are working together to create an online Excel spread sheet detailing expenses on an ongoing basis. This information will be available to public access.
