City Public Safety Headquarters Construction Price Tag Increases
By: Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2015, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
The Eagle Pass City Council heard a presentation and took into consideration the recommendation from the Public Safety Headquarters Committee regarding the selection of a project manager and the selection of alternative schematic designs for the Public Safety Headquarters during their regular meeting held on Tuesday, March 3, 2015, entertaining three different construction options with increased price tags.
A representative of Gignac Architects presented the City Council with an overview of layouts (schematic designs) for the proposed City of Eagle Pass Police Department and Fire Station that the Public Safety Headquarters Committee had reviewed and were recommending. “Overall size we are basically presenting it the same as we did last time. Basically, what we have are three pricing options. Option One is based on a budget of $3.6 million dollars. Option Two is based on a budget of $6.5 million dollars and includes an exercise room and bigger offices and other additions. Option Three is based on a budget of $5.3 million dollars and has some exclusion as per option 2,” said the Gignac Architects representative.
Option Three will exclude bigger office space and will also eliminate the exercise room which would cost close to $250,000.
In the schematic design for Option Three some of the office space has been re-configured and made smaller to accommodate other things in the actual space available. “Basically, the building got smaller by 2 feet at each end and we also lost the exercise room,” said the Gignac Architects representative.
During the presentation, the Gignac Architects representative stated that under Option One the firefighter training tower price would cost approximately $386,000 and the heavy duty parking lot necessary get to it and around it would cost another $150,000 to construct it.
“Just for City Council’s information, there are three alternatives that we are looking at. That is something that is not included in the bidding package at this point. It can be, but I don’t think the committee voted no to leave that as an alternate for a later point,” said Eagle Pass Mayor Ramsey English Cantu to City Council.
Mayor Cantu stated that what was being sought was a number (construction price) that the City of Eagle Pass could work with in assuring the full functionality of the complex. “If the Council feels that this is a route that we must look into, then we can add those numbers into a final determination to include them into the budget in order for us to move forward in the bidding process at a later point,” said Mayor Cantu.
Councilwoman Gloria E. Hernandez noted that at this point what was being brought before City Council was a recommendation to allow the beginning of negotiations for construction management and budget.
“There is a recommendation from the Public Safety Complex Oversight Committee to go with Option Three at a cost of $5.3 million dollars. That will include a Sally Port at a cost of $200,000,” said Mayor Cantu.
“That was the decision that the Committee looked at, unanimously voted on, and is now being brought to Council. The project manager we would need to have authorization as to the Committee’s authority to negotiate with DSA on construction management to enter into an agreement with them,” said Mayor Cantu.
Legal Counsel Heriberto Morales of Langley & Banack advised City Council that from a legal perspective there was still agenda item No. 18 under executive session that coincided with agenda item No.16 and that from all legal points it was better to hold off on any decision on agenda item No.16 until after visiting item No. 18 under executive session.
Mayor Cantu stated that they were trying to set a budget because without a budget the City would be hard pressed to move forward. “I know that there’s been a prior budget of $3.6 million so the Council needs to be comfortable enough to move forward with the budget required to have this project fully funded,” said Mayor Cantu.
City Council discussed the three construction price options and what each included and did not include in the proposed budgets.
Mayor Cantu noted that “The recommendation is Option Number Three with the addition of the Sally Port.”
Councilman Rudy Villalpando asked if City Council could still discuss and consider the firefighter training tower as one of the alternates for the construction project. “We budgeted for one and I feel we need to keep it. That is just my personal opinion,” said Villalpando.
Mayor Cantu replied that it is one of the priority items under one of the three options available.
“We are trying to keep it. This is the first initial phase and get everything built and then moving on to the second phase which would be getting everything cleared on the tower and the covered parking for the Police Department and the third alternative which would be the shooting range,” said Mayor Cantu.
Mayor Cantu noted that the Police Department is currently looking into different options available regarding the construction of a firearm shooting range, whether to build a conventional shooting range or a more technological advanced shooting range with digital technology. The goal is to save the City costs while building the priority items such as the shooting range and the firefighter training tower.
City Council discussed how to go about including the firefighter training tower and the firearms shooting range. City Council decided to continue discussing the three Public Safety Headquarters options during their later Executive Session agenda item regarding the same.
City Council later in the meeting went into Executive Session to discuss the Public Safety Headquarters construction options.
After returning back into Open Session, Mayor Cantu asked if there was any council member that had any motion in regards to what had been discussed in executive session and pertaining to agenda item No.18 Executive Session pursuant to Section 551.071 of the Texas Government Code – Consultation with legal counsel on legal matters related to the selection of a project manager and the selection of alternative schematic designs for the Public Safety Headquarters and possible action in open session regarding the same.
Councilwoman Gloria E. Hernandez made the following motion: “I motion that we authorize the City Manager and Legal Counsel to negotiate a contract with DSA for project management of the Eagle Pass Public Safety Headquarters and to bring final recommendation for council approval.” Councilman Villalpando seconded the motion. Mayor Cantu asked if there was any discussion, which there was none. The motion was voted on and approved unanimously.
It is apparent that the City Public Safety Headquarters Committee is recommending Option Three which has an estimated construction price tag of $5.3 Million, significantly higher than the originally estimated project cost of $3.6 Million. City Council appears to be interested including the firefighter training tower and firearm shooting range to assist City Fire and Police Departments personnel receive the needed training facilities. It is obvious that the final construction price, which remains to be negotiated, of the City Public Safety Headquarters will come in higher than the originally budgeted $3.6 Million. City Council will await to receive the construction contract and cost from City Manager Gloria Barrientos and Legal Counsel Heriberto Morales before approving the construction cost and the appropriate option available.
