WILLMAR -- Kandiyohi County's fleet of snow plows and sanding trucks were lined up in neat rows Tuesday as the County Commissioners and public toured the county's the new maintenance and vehicle storage facility.
The 25,000-square-foot addition was built onto the existing public works facility on East Highway 12 in Willmar. The total project cost $1.8 million, which included extensive site work that involved a storm water retention and treatment pond.
The project began May 1 and was completed just in time for Tuesday's open house and possible snow later this week.
Public Works Director Gary Danielson said the county received clearance to occupy the building on Monday.
The building includes 20 bays for vehicle storage, a large drive-through wash bay, a room to make and store road signs and a lunch room for staff. Heated floors that utilize off-peak energy will help keep energy costs low, said Danielson. Floor drains will collect water that will be treated in the sanitary sewer system.
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The facility replaced a cement block storage building that had structural problems and was too small for the county's current needs.
Prior to the tour, the Commissioners heard updates on road and sewer projects that took place in the county during 2006 and discussed projects for 2007.
A project to realign County Road 47 through the old industrial park may be back on the plans for 2007. Earlier this year Danielson recommended delaying the project until 2008 when a decision was expected on how the industrial park was going to be developed.
He said Tuesday, however, that the County Road 47 will remain on the budget for 2007 in case a decision is made and action is needed.
The Commissioners awarded a bid of $382,300 to Terwisscha Construction of Willmar for construction of classrooms at the Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center, near Lake Florida. Construction will begin in June, after spring school programs are completed.
The bid was based on completing the project in 90 days during the summer of 2007.
A bid by Kue Contractors of Watkins was $300 less, but had a timeline of 150 days.
Dave Pederson, executive director of the center, said it was important to have the construction take place within the 90 days of summer to avoid losing revenue that's generated during the school year.
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Commissioner Richard Larson questioned not taking the low bid and Commissioner Richard Falk questioned the lack of a penalty for not completing the project within 90 days. County Attorney Boyd Beccue said it's difficult to interpret and enforce those penalty provisions.
Bids for doing the project during the winter were not considered because they were about $10,000 higher than the summer construction bids.
Loren Engelby, county ditch inspector, presented a slide show of how erosion is affecting some drainage ditches. He said farmers that till too close to the edge of ditch banks can damage ditches. He said buffer strips that are 4-5 feet wide would help reduce damage from herbicides and farm vehicles.
Engelby said he's in the process of doing an inventory of county ditches with visual tours and documenting tile intakes on a GPS system.
