Government must be operated in an effective, efficient manner to serve the public and provide services. Leadership requires anticipating future needs to go beyond the role of a caretaker. The Commission is comprised of problem solvers who want to secure the future and put the County in a better position.
Facilities that meet space needs play an important role in effective service delivery. Improved space utilization facilitates collaboration, enhances efficiency, and increases productivity by bringing currently separated staff together in a carefully designed floor plan. In 2017, the Commission contracted with the USD Beacom School of Business to provide a space study to assist the County in future planning. The study confirmed the County has adequate space, if appropriate renovations are undertaken, to meet future staffing growth for fifteen years from the date of the study. Building upon that report, the Commission created a task force of local business, accounting, and contracting leaders to provide facility timeline and financing recommendations.
The Facilities Taskforce recommended renovating the Administration building, Extension building, parts of the Juvenile Detention Center, and construction of a replacement Highway Department facility (approximately sixty years old). Renovation and construction plans are possible without raising taxes because an existing bond will be fully paid off at the end of 2020. JDC renovations were recommended to be paid for in cash rather than financing due to their scope. The Facilities Taskforce concluded the county could borrow up to forty million dollars without raising taxes. The Commission does not need to finance forty million for immediate construction and renovation needs. The likely amount needed is approximately twenty million.
The County is taking extra steps to further define costs prior to selecting a finance option later this year. An owner’s representative was retained to assist the County in adopting best practices for construction projects. The County and owner’s representative are working with architects, engineers, and a Construction Manager at Risk to design facilities with a guaranteed maximum price. These efforts will identify potential cost savings and ensure needs are met. As the Commission considers several financing options, the County can benefit from the current low interest rate environment.
In fall 2020, additional planning will be completed and data will become available so the Commission can discuss specific costs, financing amount that does not raise taxes, and timetable. I am open to hearing from taxpayers about the projects and appreciate their input.
