GREENFIELD — Hancock County could start the bidding process for a proposed 440-bed county jail in mid- to late summer, the president of the county commissioners says.
The commissioners on Tuesday gave the go-ahead for RQAW, an Indianapolis-based firm in charge of the plans, to complete the design of the facility. The commissioners estimate the jail could cost about $43 million, which includes about $5 million in "soft" costs.
Last week, the Hancock County Council voted 7-0 to take $1.1 million from the rainy day fund, which will be reimbursed through bond proceeds, to help pay for the design process. That will be added to $500,000 the county had already appropriated from the fund for design costs owed to RQAW. The money — $1.65 million in total — will be paid to the firm on a percent-complete basis for the design and bidding process, according to the RQAW contract.
“This will really formally kick off the design process," said John Jessup, president of the board of commissioners.
The county will end up paying RQAW $3.36 million once the project is formally approved and the bonds are sold, the contract states. The county has also paid the firm $108,000 for jail consultations since 2015.
Jessup said RQAW and county officials will determine specific elements of the jail’s design, such as roofing options, the look of the exterior and types of materials down to the last electrical wire. That will complement the schematic design the firm recently presented that showed a bird’s eye view of the jail. RQAW will also soon present preliminary timelines for construction and design, Jessup said.
If the process goes smoothly, Jessup said, the county could start the bidding process in August.
The jail is planned to be built on a nearly 20-acre parcel on county-owned property along U.S. 40 between North County Roads 400E and 500E. It could take about two years to build.
The council, however, still needs to secure funding for the project. It is planning to raise local income taxes, money collected through paychecks, by 0.2 percent over 20 years. The council had a public hearing earlier in February, and they could vote in favor of the tax hike March 13. The tax increase — a shift in the county’s rate from 1.74 percent to 1.94 percent — would go into effect in October.
The county also plans to issue a revenue bond to get funds sooner for the jail. A revenue bond is a type of municipal bond that finances income-producing projects. The council has to approve the income tax increase before issuing the bond. Proceeds from the tax increase would then be used to pay off the loan.
A committee studying the proposed jail will meet next at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, in the Hancock County Annex, 111 American Legion Place.
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Hancock County has agreed to pay RQAW no more than $3.36 million in architecture fees billed on a percent-complete basis once the county jail project is formally approved and bonds are sold.
$800,000 — schematic design of downtown sites (completed in 2018)
$400,000 — schematic design of county farm site (completed in 2018)
$625,000 — 50 percent design and request for proposal
$615,000 — design development and guaranteed maximum price
$410,000 — 100 percent design documents, subcontractor bidding
$510,000 — project success fee once construction is complete
$3.36 million — Total cost of professional services agreement
Source: Hancock County of Commissioners
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