Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home City Council agreed to a contract with Scott Edwards Architects last week to create plans and provide construction services for the new City Hall at a cost of up to $97,500.
Under the contract, the City of Sweet Home will pay 10 percent of the winning bid to remodel the new City Hall building, with a cap of $97,500.
The amount is slightly less than SEA originally proposed, based on early estimates. The council last month rejected the proposal and reached an agreement with Sid Scott of SEA to do it for 10 percent of the winning bid, selected by the City Council.
The structure in question is the old U.S. Forest Service Sweet Home Ranger District Office building, 3225 Main St., a 12,000-square-foot building constructed in 1989, for $750,000 in July 2016, with plans to move City Hall there. Since then, SEA has developed a concept design, which has been accepted by the council.
The scope of the project includes a full interior office remodel with minor exterior modifications, including new windows, a new exterior door and installation of new rooftop HVAC equipment.
SEA initially estimated the cost of the project at about $1.1 million.
During the council’s regular meeting on Jan. 9, voting to enter into the contract were Susan Coleman, Lisa Gourley, Mayor Greg Mahler, James Goble and Diane Gerson. Councilors Dave Trask and Bob Briana voted no, expressing concern with the high cost estimates for the project.
“I still think Sid Scott’s agency, their numbers are way out of line,” Mahler said. “We had that discussion in the last meeting. We gave some examples of where they were way off. One was like the overlay, for example, the air conditioning and so forth.”
He believes the project should cost between $500,000 and $650,000, which would give SEA a fee of $50,000 to $65,000.
Under the contract, SEA will provide plans and construction documents as well as construction services, helping answer questions from contractors during the bidding process and overseeing the construction.
“I think it basically comes down to how much involvement you want Sid Scott involved in this project,” Mahler said. The council could accept the proposed cap, “or you could cap it at $45,000, take a portion and say we’ll take it from there. It’s up to you as a council how far you want to use Sid Scott’s services.”
“On the whole, all we need is the architectural design,” Briana said. “He pretty much gave it to us before. The layout is already done, pretty much in the things he gave us before. All we need is a little bit more overlay and it’s done. I don’t see where it’s $41,000 worth. It’s more like $20,000 worth.”
“I’m really frustrated with this,” Trask said. “This seems like an awful high price for a set of plans, and they don’t need to do anything, in my opinion, after the plans. We have a guy here to go out there and tell if they’re doing the thing right or not. If he can’t do that, then what is he doing. We have an inspector who can go out and tell them, ‘Hey you can’t do this,’ or ‘You need to this, this and this.’
“I don’t understand this whole process of spending $90,000. If we put a solid cap on it and they’ll do that to get the plans together, like Councilor Briana said, I can live with that, but to do all this other stuff just seems like a waste of money.”
“From my experience, you get a set of architectural plans and then you open it up for bidding,” Mahler said. “Once you get the bidding, whoever gets the winning bid, they’re the general contractor. They take it from start to finish.”
“We’re looking to renovate a (28-year-old) building,” Gerson said. “This is not like building a modern house. There’s some issues with that building that need to be taken care of if it’s a public building, which it will be. We are hoping it’ll last 50 years or more.
“From my perspective, I think we either do this or we sell the property. I think we can’t just continue to let this building sit. It’s already sat for two years since we bought it. Yes, this seems like a lot of money, but we need these plans in order to get this building on the road.”
“I don’t like having to pay them so much for what they’re doing,” Gourley said. “I think there could have been a better process, but at the same time, we’re getting some continuity here. We really do need that. We need somebody that’s accountable and can move this project forward and not piecemeal it. I don’t like what it costs, but I don’t like what anything costs right now.”
With the council’s vote and contract signed, SEA “will begin taking the floor plan we’ve already adopted, and turning those into architectural drawings,” said City Manager Ray Towry. “There’ll be a little bit deeper dive into inspecting the building and (beginning to make) those plans. Once those plans are developed – obviously council will be invited and encouraged strongly to be involved in that – then at that point, once we have a set of plans that we’re happy with as a council, we put that out to bid, and then we’ll actually know our numbers.”
In other business, the council:
– Appointed Josie Hewitt, eighth grade, to the Youth Advisory Council. Two at-large positions remain open to students in the seventh through 12th grades. Call the city manager’s office at (541) 367-8969 or stop by City Hall, 1140 12th Ave., for further information or to apply.
– Re-appointed Planning Commission Chairman Lance Gatchell to the Planning Commission, with a term ending Dec. 31, 2021.
– Declared numerous vehicles and equipment surplus, allowing the city to sell them.
– Accepted the annual audit report for fiscal year 2016-17 from Grove, Mueller & Swank, PC.
– Heard from resident Chase Bratton-Ralph, of the 1500 block of Tamarack Street, who criticized the city’s decision to evict the caretaker living at Northside Park. The caretaker lives in a park model RV and works part time as caretaker. She pays space rent with the money she makes working for the city.
The RV has been there since 2009 when the Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit for it based on conditional uses allowed by ordinance.
City officials have explained that it is not best practice to have a caretaker living in a park and that the city should not be exempted from the rules, which prohibit living in an RV in most circumstances, it enforces on the residents of Sweet Home.
“It’s my understanding that the City Council serves for the betterment of the city and its residents,” Bratton-Ralph said. “I cannot believe evicting the manager of Northside will be good for the citizens and its neighbors.
“My husband and I have enjoyed this park almost on a daily basis for eight years and became friendly with the managers and some of the neighbors. I have never felt fearful when using the park, fishing, sitting under a tree or talking with a female friend.”
“The park has encouraged usage by keeping it clean of trash and overgrown grass, dopers and the occasional criminal. In the summer, people are comfortable to camp there with their children playing in the area. You would never see that at Sankey Park.”
She said she fears this will be the course for Northside Park, impacting the citizens of Sweet Home and especially those living near the park.
“Sometimes, the strictness of a rule, regulation can be fudged a little if it will adversely affect the residents,” Bratton-Ralph said. “I realize this is the case here and see no reason that you can’t do this for Northside. You know how the public feels on this decision from past meetings. It seems to me you’re ignoring the response of the citizens.
“Relook at this matter and do what is right, following the wishes of the city, and not being so rigid.”