Crawford County Supervisors receive jail project update
The iron framework for the skywalk that will connect the law enforcement center and courthouse to the new jail addition. According to Callin, it will provide a secure pathway from the detention areas to the courtroom areas for inmates. (Steve Van Kooten/Courier Press)
By Steve Van Kooten
The Crawford County Board of Supervisors received updates on the justice center/jail project at their April 15 board meeting and the next day at the finance committee meeting.
Finance Committee Chair Gary Koch asked Kraemer Brothers’ Vice President of Client Services Greg Callin about the effect tariffs might have on the project.
“With all of this turmoil that we’re seeing with tariffs, do you see us going back to the pandemic deal, where we have supply chain issues?” Koch asked.
“We’ve had quite a bit of discussion about it,” answered Callin. “The best way I can describe it is there are domestically- and internationally-sourced materials, and even in the case of internationally-sourced materials, usually they’re not exclusive to one country. The whole notion of trade, commerce and competition has always driven that on a worldwide level.
“I don’t think there’s a situation out there that’s going to cause the supply to be in the kind of situation we were in then.”
Callin pointed out that Kraemer Brothers began working on the Iowa County jail project the week COVID broke, and the project was still delivered on time and on budget.
“I feel comfortable that whatever dynamics are going on there, our team is out in front of it,” he said.
At the supervisors’ meeting, Callin said that the entire project had been bid out, which should mitigate the effect tariffs have on the cost of the project.
The construction cost for the jail is projected to be $31.3 million, with a soft-cost budget of $3.7 million. The total cost for the project has remained steady at $35 million.
“The only allowance that we’re carrying in our contract right now is detention-grade enclosures and access panels. We’re carrying that at $150,000. We’re not at that point of construction yet, so none of that allowance has been used,” said Callin.
An allowance is an amount in a project’s budget for work that does not have a finalized cost.
The project also has approximately $1.1 million in contingency funds, with zero charges to that amount. There is a $57,000 pending charge to replace the computer server used for the building’s security system, according to Callin.
“In our original analysis of things, that piece of equipment was going to be transferred to the new buildings, and after further analysis, it’s been determined that the equipment should be replaced,” he said.
A contingency fund is a set amount of a project’s budget that covers unexpected costs as construction goes along.
According to Kraemer Brothers, the project is on target considering cost, schedule and safety.
• Work crews will begin installing veneer this month and expect to complete precast roof slabs on the main building. Installing the sallyport precast roof plank was supposed to begin before the end of April.
• The roof on the new addition should be completed later in May.
• There has not been a single reported incident concerning worker safety or injury thus far. There were four safety meetings and six safety inspections conducted for the project between March 15 and April 15.
• The project began installing sallyport bearing walls in mid-April.
• There have not been any change orders for the project to date.
• Callin said the project has received positive feedback from the Department of Corrections.
• The county board of supervisors plans to participate in a walkthrough of the jail facility in August.
