Council sets building max at $4.6 million

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook City Council voted unanimously to approve the guaranteed maximum price for the City of McCook Municipal Building and to loan East Ward Village LLC $105,000 at a special meeting Monday at Memorial Auditorium.

The councilors agreed to a Municipal Building GMP of $4,641,556 with Sampson Construction based on the drawings prepared by Prochaska and Associates.

Councilman Aaron Kircher voiced concern on why the overall cost seem to not change from the previous meeting. He pointed out that it appeared that the numbers presented before were no different than the numbers being presented at the Monday meeting.

Craig Gies from Sampson Construction and Kurt Fields of Prochaska and Associates explained that the amount included adjustments in soft cost. Soft costs are the non-construction costs.

Despite Kircher's concerns, Mayor Dennis Berry motioned to vote for approval of the Municipal Building, which was seconded by counselor Jerry Calvin. After further discussion regarding the changes in space with the loss of the basement, Kircher amended the original motion to authorize the mayor to sign the agreement, which was seconded by Calvin. The council voted unanimously to approve both motions.

The new figures on the Municipal Building included:

* the city being in charge of the landscaping and removal of excess excavated soil from the site

* a reduction in aesthetic brick

* an increase in use of Kynar finish for exterior walls and galvalume for the roof

* removal of the basement and additional second floor storage

* and creating a car port for four police vehicle stalls.

Also, included in the GMP were:

* allowances for carpet at $18 a square yard and floor tile at $7 a square foot

* painted walls in restrooms in lieu of ceramic tile;

* using exposed ceiling in place of acoustic ceiling

* window coverings to be horizontal mini blinds

* using the existing generator and UPS

* aluminum conductors for main electrical feeders

* and the City being in charge of the costs for projections screens and the final cleaning.

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The board approved the loan for the East Ward Village LLC on an unanimous vote. The only concerns raised over the loan was by city resident John Hubert, who questioned the viability of the project and whether the cost was worth it. He finished with, "rather than beat a dead horse, I am going to give up."

Rex Nelson of the McCook Economic Development Corp. backed the project, saying it would open up homes in the area as those who moved to the senior independent living facility would sell their homes; thus making them available to young people.

Councilors clarified that the money would be paid back through an annual payment with a two percent interest rate. The amount to be paid back each year is based on remaining funds after all other expenses. The full amount is to be paid in full within 90 days of the 15 year anniversary of the completion of the project.

Kircher said before the council's approval vote that "without housing, it is hard to bring in a workforce."