Commissioners OK $9M contract for county garage
NORRISTOWN >> A $9 million construction contract for a storage facility at the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety’s emergency operations center was approved last week by Montgomery County’s elected officials.
The $9,086,011 agreement between the Montgomery County Department of Assets and Infrastructure and SJ Thomas Co. Inc., of Lansdowne, would cover “the construction of a warehouse and garage facility” at the agency’s headquarters in Eagleville.
The seven-figure listing was a “total lump sum price,” according to the contract award.
According to Kelly Cofransisco, Montgomery
County’s director of communications, once completed, the warehouse would store several items including generators, personal protective equipment and sign boards and traffic equipment for mass evacuations.
The space would also house a number of specialized response vehicles pertaining to field communications, hazmat and urban search and rescue and logistics management, Cofransisco said.
Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale was the sole dissenting voice during the March 4 meeting.
“I’m a big supporter of public safety, but I believe spending over $9 million for this construction of a garage and warehouse is entirely too expensive, especially since the property owners of Montgomery County have a tax increase this year, and I was outspoken against this when I was critical of the capital budget when this 2021 budget was exposed in the capital expenses,” he said.
The storage facility contract encompassed a majority of the more than $11.4 million authorized last week.
As part of the ongoing Ride Pike Improvement Project, based in Plymouth Township, county officials amended a previously awarded agreement with Pennoni Associates Inc., of Philadelphia, to account for “design and right-of-way services in certain parts of the contract.”
The county would “enter into a supplement and extension of the engineering agreement” with the Philadelphia-based firm who cited “additional services,” requiring another $582,002.20, according to the updated contract.
The initial agreement covered “engineering, design and right-of-way services for the Ridge Pike Improvement Project in Plymouth Township.”
However, the latest revisions pertained to the “final design and right-of-way services related to the section of Ridge Pike between the Pennsylvania Turnpike Bridge (DB-116) and Chemical Road to redesign a full replacement of County Bridge #257, including recent Norfolk Southern standards, right-of-way acquisition, drainage, utilities, and traffic protection,” the contract states.
Local leaders awarded $410,000 to the Child Advocacy Center of Montgomery County dba Mission Kids, of
East Norriton, to provide forensic interviewing services for the county’s district attorney and health and human services agencies.
An online request for proposal on this matter netted two initial inquiries, and one response, according to the contract award.
The one-year-contract had four optional annual renewal terms, according to the contract award. The initial first year would cost $195,000 for the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and $215,000 for the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services’ children and youth division.
A $325,550 agreement with Whitmoyer Ford Incorporated of Mt. Joy, Pennsylvania, covered the purchasing of eight Ford vehicles for the county’s assets and infrastructure department. Specifically, five heavy duty trucks and three vans, which were made available by way of a “Pennsylvania state contract,” according to the contract award.
Additionally, a $288,000 contract with Gannett Fleming Inc., of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, covered oncall engineers for the “design and engineering services required to establish and document the scope of demolition for the Airy Street Prison in Norristown.”
The county’s assets and infrastructure department endorsed the Cumberland County firm, and had previously issued a request for proposal, according to the contract.
The next Montgomery County Board of Commissioners meeting is slated for 10 a.m. on March 18.