The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

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September 23, 2012

Contracts for Joplin fire station design proposed

By Debby Woodin Globe Staff Writer

JOPLIN, Mo. — Contracts for architectural services to rebuild Joplin fire stations destroyed by last year’s tornado as well as services to prepare for some street widening projects are to be presented for City Council action at its meeting tonight.

A contract with Paragon Architecture and CR Architecture and Design for design plans and engineering of Station No. 2, to be built at the northeast corner of 13th Street and Schifferdecker Avenue, will be presented. That station will replace the one that formerly was located at 2216 S. Maiden Lane.

A contract will be proposed with Sapp Design Associates Architects for the plans for the replacement of Station No. 4. It was located at 2010 E. 15th St. and will be moved to 3402 S. Hearnes Blvd.

During budget talks on Wednesday, council members asked how much insurance and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will pay for the reconstruction of the two fire stations. Finance Director Leslie Jones said the city is receiving $1,867,000 from those two sources. Fire Chief Mitch Randles had said earlier that he expected building costs for each station to be between $1.1 million and $1.4 million.

City officials agreed to move those stations to spread fire coverage more evenly through the city. Randles proposed the locations. He said the fire stations had been grouped in the central and northern sections of the city, but that there needed to be more fire coverage to the growing southern side.

The two stations are expected to cost a total of between $2.2 million and $2.8 million, which is about $1 million more than insurance and FEMA will pay. City officials have said that is because those sources will pay to replace what was destroyed, but that larger stations are needed.

Randles has told the council that larger buildings are needed to house all the equipment the department uses that was not required decades ago when the former stations were built. He also said construction costs are higher now than they were during previous city projects.

The purchase of an additional truck for the latest fire station built, Station No. 6 at 5302 W. 32nd St., will be proposed. Randles said in a staff memo that it is the last piece of equipment needed for the new station and was one of the items listed in the half-cent public safety sales tax proposal voters approved in 2006. It is a rescue truck that is to be built to the department’s standards for $296,063. Four bids were submitted, and the low one, which is being recommended, is from Pierce Manufacturing of Appleton, Wis. The other bids ranged from $321,830 to $344,028.

A contract for asbestos demolition services in 13 tornado-damaged houses that have been condemned for city removal will be proposed. The successful bidder for the work is Big John’s Heavy Equipment at $94,800. Four other bids were received ranging from $110,722 to $131,780.

Contracts for appraisal services and reviews for the acquisition of right of way to widen 26th Street from Maiden Lane to Schifferdecker are proposed. Those would go to Sage Valuations for $23,250 and to LSA Appraisal Services for $16,800. A contract also will be posed for right-of-way services with Sprenkle and Associates Inc. for $40,990. The widening is expected to cost nearly $1.9 million and is one of the projects to be done largely with funding from a $12 million federal grant.

The city staff also proposes similar contracts with the same firms for the widening of Schifferdecker Avenue from Seventh Street to 32nd Street. Costs are $12,500 to Sage, $10,000 to LSA and $22,300 to Sprenkle. The widening project will cost nearly $2.7 million and also is funded mostly by a federal grant.

The council also will be asked to act on the update of job classifications for city workers as part of a new pay plan to be implemented on Nov. 1.

A list of property to be placed in the city’s annual auction will be presented to the council with a request to declare it as surplus so that it can be sold.. It will include vehicles, mowing equipment, office equipment and bicycles.

On tap

The City Council meets at 6 p.m. today on the fifth floor of City Hall, 602 S. Main St. An informal briefing takes place at 5:15 p.m.

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