Farmington will seek manager for building

By BILL KNIGHT
For The Weekly Post
FARMINGTON – Solid steps for a new City building on Fort Street requiring no tax hike were taken Monday, when the City Council OK’d Mayor Kent Kowal negotiating with Sam Lillie to buy three vacant lots on East Fort, and separately approving a request to D. Joseph Construction to be the construction manager for the project.
D. Joseph was one of several contractors that worked with Farmington to estimate costs for different ideas. N. Zobrist and Hoerr Construction also weighed in on options ranging from remodeling existing buildings to renovating the current facility.
A new building will cost between $1.6 to $2 million, according to Kowal, who said the City will use Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and borrow additional funds needed to complete the long-delayed effort.
The vote to enter talks with Lillie was suggested by Kowal and proposed by Alderman Nathan Fleming and seconded by Leslye Smith, with support from Aldermen Charles Rask and Joey Boggs. Aldermen Terry Dicks and Kenn Stufflebeam opposed the measure. The vote to ask D. Joseph to coordinate the project was unanimous.
The property acquisition depends on the lots’ suitability, determined by a soil-compaction study, verification of lot lines, etc. If something prohibits the purchase, the City would consider a building on City property on West Fort across from the Post Office.
The construction manager approach was recommended by engineer Keith Plavec, vice president of Peoria’s Maurer-Stutz, Inc. He addressed a Public Grounds and Building Committee session and the following regular Council meeting, outlining three approaches.
“If you want to move this project along, I recommend hiring a construction manager,” said Plavec, who agreed to continue advising the City.
Other choices were a design-bid-build option, and a design-build option with a general contractor.
“Each [option] has pro’s and cons,” Plavec said, adding that having “a company you work well with” will let the responsible manager help select subcontractors for HVAC, carpentry, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, etc.
The City administration and various City Councils have deliberated what to do about the deteriorating building they’re in now since January of 2018, discussing the topic more than 40 times.
“We’ve talked it to death,” said City Administrator Rollen Wright, recounting tours of the current complex, conducting a new asbestos inspection, considering new heating and cooling, and other upgrades,
“The Council decided not to invest in the current building because of the expense,” he added.
Kowal said for weeks the Council has been “focused on one of two [new] buildings,” and he favors a two-story building downtown.
Dicks questioned rising prices of construction materials, and Plavec agreed that “costs are elevated right now [but] I think they’ll come down.”
Dicks also questioned the financial feasibility of a two-story structure, but Kowal said that design would conform to the historical district’s look and also make available space to groups the City now supports as a public service, including the American Legion and Farmer’s Closet.
In other news:
• Wright reported $35,971. 57 in recent expenditures for TIF fees, the final payment for the sewer project, and a residential grant, leaving a balance of $554,951.03.
• Public Works Superintendent Dave Ehlers said he’s looking at resurfacing three roads (Apple Street, 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue) at a total estimated cost of almost $400,000, to be funded by TIF and Motor Fuel Tax funds, and said that Illinois American Water plans to install new water mains on parts of Bridge, Cedar, Mill and Pleasant Streets.
• The Council unanimously approved donating $1,000 to the Farmington Central Academic Foundation, which since 1969 has awarded more than $1 million to Farmington graduates.
• Nicolas Robbins was sworn in as a new full-time police officer on Feb. 16.
• Updating the City’s website is underway, and officials’ individual email addresses are now posted.