Prost Builders out of Jefferson City was awarded the general construction bid for the new Dent County Jail during Monday morning’s meeting of Dent County commissioners.
The company had the low bid of $5.784 million, edging out KCI Construction Company, which had a bid of $5.891 million. Prost’s bid included a $109,000 voluntary alternative of $109,000 savings in using Carrier brand heating and cooling equipment instead of AAON. The heating and cooling subcontractor for Prost is Brown Heating and Cooling of Salem.
“We’ve worked with Prost on many other projects and never had a problem with them,” said Nick Smith, vice president of Septagon Construction Management, the company that will oversee the project.
Smith made his recommendations to the commission for six contractors, and all six were approved unanimously. Other bids were awarded to:
• Loomis Brothers Equipment Company at $32,305.42 for laundry equipment,
• Noah Detention Construction at $2.88 million for cells and electronics for security
• Kone, Inc., at $139,800 for an elevator
• Ozark Fire Sprinkler Company at $120,000 for a fire sprinkler system
• and Meyer Electric Company at $848,264 for electrical work.
The only contract not awarded was for food service, as no bid was received. The proposed budget for food service is $215,000, and commissioners elected to re-bid.
The project total following the approved bids now stands at $12.89 million, with $1 million of that total already paid out to Shive-Hattery and Septagon, the architect and construction management companies, respectively.
The contract will be sent to the contractors, contingent on commitment from the underwriter, L.J. Hart & Company of St. Louis. That commitment is expected to be delivered by Oct. 31, according to a letter to Smith form Larry Hart. Hart included in his letter that he anticipates the rating for the bonds to be A or better.
Date for the beginning of construction has not been set, but the commission decided Monday to have a groundbreaking sometime in September, with the date to be set soon.
Other base bids for general construction came from:
• KCI Construction Company, $5.891 million,
• Wright Construction Services, $6.528 million,
• Dewitt & Associates, $6.784 million,
• and Cahill’s Construction, which has an office in Salem, $6.99 million.
In April of 2017, Dent County voters overwhelming voted for a ½ cent sales tax to build a jail facility and a ½ cent sales tax to operate it. The sales tax was collected beginning in October of 2017.
Paul Prost opened Prost Builders in Jefferson City in 1949. His brother, Jay, later joined him. In 1963, Paul and Jay expanded the company enough to necessitate a satellite office in Columbia. For several years now, the company has branched out, covering all of Missouri and the surrounding states, and has constructed thousands of facilities according to the company website.
In other commission news Monday:
• The commission voted 3-0 to approve the hazard mitigation plan.
• Presiding commissioner Darrell Skiles attended a FEMA meeting where a draft flood plain map was presented. Skiles said those interested in seeing the map can go to the FEMA website, or copies are available in the commissioners’ office in the courthouse.
• Clerk Angie Curley said the last day to register to vote in the November election is Oct. 10.
• Treasurer Denita Williams said the CART tax receipts are up $4,939.80 year to date.
• In District I commissioner Dennis Purcell’s report, he said grading will be done on county roads 5600, 2470, 2480 and 6420; crossover ties will be installed on 6090, 2400 and 2460.
In District II commissioner Gary Larson’s report, brush will be cut on 2130, 2330, 4404 and 4380; material will be hauled to 2070 and 2130. Pipe will be installed on 2070, and that road will remain closed until sometime after Labor Day. Last week’s rain delayed the project, he said.
• In Thursday’s meeting, Kevin Parr with Midwest Public Risk discussed workers’ compensation insurance, and Purcell reported on a tourism committee meeting. Purcell said a request from the Blue Oval Car Club was approved.
Manuel Gearhart attended the meeting to discuss county road 6190, and Connie Steelman came to the meeting to discuss not being able to bring personal items to court.
Propane bids were opened, and the only bid submitted was Ferrell Gas at $1.395 per gallon for 3,500 gallons. The bid was accepted on a 2-0 vote.
Purcell also said the commission will be putting out a bid request for two new graders.
Skiles arrived at the meeting late after attending the FEMA meeting.
