Police station architectural firms narrowed to two
Interviews are scheduled for Monday morning at city hall for two architectural firms, one of which will draw plans for the new police station building on Beech Street. It will be constructed next to the Onaway Fire Department building.
According to city manager Joe Hefele, a request for proposals was sent out to several architectural firms in the region, including firms the city has worked with in the past. Commissioner Bernie Schmeltzer made a proposal at Monday?s meeting this week to conduct interviews between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. The vote was 3-0. Commissioners Chuck Abshagen and Jerry Robinson were not in attendance.
Commission members and city staff will interview Anthony Esson and Butcher & Associates, both out of Gaylord.
Esson was the lead architect for the firm DEM, which specialized in schools and also designed the new City of Gaylord building currently under construction. DEM closed its doors and Esson is working on his own, but comes with a glowing recommendation from the City of Gaylord. They?ve also retained his services. ?THOUGH ESSON submitted the low number, I want to be sure you are comfortable with him,? said Hefele. His bid is $10,000.
Butcher & Associates has designed police, fire, and EMS buildings in Grayling, Roscommon, Alanson, East Jordan, and Gaylord. Hefele also reported that the company was involved with the UAW Black Lake Golf Course clubhouse. They?ve received a favorable recommendation from Littlefield Township.
?I would like to give a hour window to each one of them,? said Hefele. ?I don?t expect it to be an hour, but at least we won?t be rushed.? Five firms submitted proposals, with the highest bid coming from Wigen, Tincknell, Meyer, and Associates. They submitted a price of $13,900. The firm has worked with the city on courthouse projects in recent years.
With a tight city budget and United States Department of Agriculture-Rural Development funds involved, the bottom line is important. So is timing, said Hefele. He recommended the commission make a decision by March 3 regular meeting. A purchase agreement with R & B Outdoors, which is Ryan Howell and Bryan Madison, calls for the Onaway Police Department to be out of their State Street headquarters no later than September 3.
In other city matters: ? Onaway businesswoman Kerry Rogers went before the commission to provide her input regarding the recent sidewalk plowing issue on Washington Avenue. Her concern is residents having to walk in the street. Rogers said it happened to her during the Onaway Chamber of Commerce banquet a couple of weeks ago when vehicl
Hefele said M-68 through town is a state highway and not the responsibility of the City of Onaway. He said the Presque Isle County Road Commission contracts with the state to plow the road. The city receives no funding to remove the snow and that they do it as a favor for business owners on State Street. In addition, the city has left the snow on the sidewalks for many years as a way to allow snowmobilers to access restaurants and fuel.
He added that the situation could be looked at next season.
? Commissioner Jerry Robinson?s request to be excused from the February 18, March 3, and March 17 meetings due to his wife?s illness was approved.