After nearly two years of conversations, the Jefferson City Council unanimously approved a $2.9 million contract to construction the new Fire Station No. 2.
Curtis-Manes-Schulte Inc. will construct the $2,972,274 building at 3025 Robinson Road. The 10,500-square-foot fire station will have 2.5 apparatus bays, a training room, bunk rooms and a gear storage room, along with additional amenities like a police substation, training mezzanine, and video surveillance and access control.
Construction will start in late summer with the fire station possibly being in service by early 2019.
Jefferson City Fire Department Chief Matt Schofield said he is "excited to put the plan in motion."
Ward 5 Councilman Mark Schreiber said the new fire station will have more features and equipment to better protect Jefferson City residents, as well as provide a nice facility for the fire department.
"It's certainly something that's needed and I'm glad to see this start to come to fruition," he said. "I think it'll be a great, great improvement for not just the fire department itself but for the citizens of the City of Jefferson."
Furniture fixtures and equipment, breathing air compressor and bottle fill system, and the remaining professional services under contract are not included in the contract - a total of $216,450.
The total cost of the project is $3,188,724, approximately $470,000 under budget.
The total project was originally estimated at $3.66 million. Schofield and council members said they were pleased the bids were under budget.
Last year, the City Council approved a $1.2 million supplemental appropriation from the general fund and $800,000 from the Sales Tax F fund, along with $106,785 from the fire department's building and grounds fund, to be reappropriated to the 2018 fiscal year. A little more than $1.6 million from the Sales Tax G fund was also set aside for the new Fire Station No. 2.
The current Fire Station No. 2 is at 2400 E. McCarty St.
Since the new Fire Station No. 2 construction bids were under budget, the Jefferson City Finance Committee recommended last month that $80,000 of that excess money go toward the new municipal court renovations, which the City Council approved Monday night.
The council also approved a $552,143 contract to General Contractor GBH Builders, Inc. to renovate the municipal court's new home, the City Annex Building at 427 Monroe St. Currently, municipal court is in the City Council chambers at 320 E. McCarty St.
Project bids came in about 12 percent higher than anticipated, City Counselor Ryan Moehlman said. Architect's Alliance, who designed the new municipal court, estimated the project would cost $326,329-$438,654.
Construction could begin in June with anticipated completion in November.
The new municipal court will have offices for prosecutors and judges, benches for judges and clerks, updated bathrooms, an assigned waiting area, security area, transaction desk and private consultation room. The new courtroom will also seat about 120, whereas the current courtroom seats only about 100.
"It's an exciting step forward and we hope that it's going to provide an enhanced experience for people that use the municipal court and also help smooth operations in City Hall, so we see lots of benefits for lots of different people," Moehlman said.
Last October, the council approved a $500,000 supplemental appropriation to cover the project cost and unexpected expenses. If there is a remaining amount after the project is complete, the rest of the allotment would go toward other capital improvement projects, Moehlman said previously.
The appropriation does not include security or staff, as those expenses come from the municipal court operating budget.
The Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department used to operate out of the upper floor of the city annex before it moved to The Linc on Lafayette Street. The city's Fire Department administration is in the basement of the building and will remain there after renovations.
In other business Monday, the council approved an ordinance to eliminate on-street parking along Creek Trail Drive. City staff plans to add a two-way left-turn lane between West Edgewood and Portabello Place drives to allow vehicles turning left into commercial driveways along Creek Trail Drive or onto West Edgewood Drive from Creek Trail Drive to not prevent drivers wanting to continue on or make right turns.