Minutes 04/23/1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1998 stated that a 10% to 15% level of design development had been achieved on the project to this point. Mayor Adams stated that he was impressed with the revisions and modifications and the teams thinldng on the project since the presentation of the original plans. Mr. Reeves assured the Mayor that further "fine tuning" to reduce costs was to be done. Jim Strollo stated that the current design was a 168 bed facility with a 40 bed ,/"',add altemate, and that the State had already approved a facility of up to 234 beds, although there was no intention of building a facility of that size. He emphasized, however, that the core elements of the facility would be sized to accommodate an increase of housing capacity of 234 or more in the future, to provide flexibility. Council Member Haskell asked if the State would fund 25% of these core elements, and was told they would. Mr. Reynolds reiterated that the State would only pay their share of what was actually spent, however. In response to a question from Mr. Teagne it was made clear that the State would not reimburse for subsequent phases, so it would be necessary to build all that was reasonably felt to be necessary in the initial construction, in order to receive maximum benefit of State funds. Jim Strollo noted that the State recommended that a Value Engineering Study and a Life Cycle Cost Analysis be performed at the end of the Design Development phase, in order to ensure a good decision on construction size and elements prior to construction. Mayor Adams asked whether the cells in the planned facility could be double-bunked, and was told that some could be. Vice-Mayor Crabtree asked if the $9.6 million figure could be further reduced, and was told that this was simply a budget figure now, but that it was imperative not to delay the project so long that construction costs rise significantly by the time actual construction begins. Mr. Teague then asked what Critical Path Milestones needed to be met. Mr. Reeves and Mr. Strollo stated that the design for the project .~--, should be completed within six months from the present date, and that construction documents should be finished within twelve months. Mr. Teague noted that this would mean the project would not be bid until one year from the current date, thus allowing for approval of a funding figure from the Department of Corrections prior to construction, and Council Member Haskell noted that this might also allow time for the General Assembly to commit funds prior to construction as well. Mr. Teague then observed that the actual construction should begin in June or July of !:99c~ ,and that actual financing strategy for the project would be