Disagreement brings slight delay to Ambulance Service building project

IOWA CITY - Plans to seek the proper firm to design a new Johnson County Ambulance Service building will be stalled for about two weeks.

A debate Wednesday over filing requests for qualifications to find an engineering or architectural firm to design a new ambulance service building became heated, before a decision was ultimately tabled by the Johnson County Board of Supervisors.

Supervisors Rod Sullivan and Janelle Rettig disagreed on whether the board should approve filing the RFQ now and get the process moving to build the new facility, or wait until after the board approves the fiscal year 2016 budget, which includes a $3 million line item to help fund the building.

'If we haven't approved a budget to build a building, I'm not really interested in sending out a RFQ for it,” Rettig said. 'It seems a little disingenuous to be voting on this before the budget.”

Sullivan argued that the $400,000 budgeted for the project last year would already cover any initial costs and an RFQ wouldn't obligate the board to spend any money.

'I think this is absurd, frankly,” Sullivan said. 'I don't understand why we would delay it ... I don't think there is any reason for the public to feel bad about this, I think they would feel worse if we wasted time.”

Ultimately Sullivan and Supervisor Mike Carberry voted to proceed, while Rettig and Supervisor Pat Harney voted to hold the issue until after the budget is approved March 5. With a 2-2 vote, the item failed to pass. The board was originally slated to vote on the matter Thursday. Supervisor Terrence Neuzil, who might have held a deciding vote on the matter, is out of town this week.

County staff will have the RFQ ready for the board to vote on as soon as the budget vote concludes.

Another part of the process, a rezoning request that would allow the county to build on both lots at 800 and 808 S. Dubuque St., will be taken up Thursday by the Iowa City Planning and Zoning Commission.

According to a RFQ draft, the multistory building would need to be roughly 26,225 square feet in size to serve the Ambulance Service, Medical Examiner and Physical Plant departments as well as provide storage for county election equipment.

County staff estimate that $3.4 million would cover demolition of the existing ambulance service building, design of a new building, utility installation, building construction and other fees.

Goals listed on the RFQ document include reaching at least LEED silver certification for sustainable design, a building designed similar to other nearby county buildings like the Health and Human Services and Administration buildings.

County officials also will explore the possibility of either phasing in the project or building all at once.

County staff also are drafting a request for proposals to address safety concerns at the Johnson County Courthouse. The board plans to file a RFP to find a contractor to install such elements as metal detectors to the aging building. The county is in the process of budgeting $250,000 for design and construction and another $150,000 to hire two additional deputies to staff the secure entrance.

The board could take up discussion on the RFP as soon as next week.