Bronson Fire Chief Dennis Russell and Town Clerk Shirley Miller listen to discussion on planned firehouse.
By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
Bronson’s $1.8 million proposed firehouse project appears to be running along smoothly except for questions about why there is no competitive bid process to pick a contractor.
As it stands now, Fire Chief Dennis Russell has received three packages from building contractors listing their qualifications, but has no plans to advertise for sealed bids to get the lowest and best price.
He plans to interview officials from Gray Construction of Trenton, Scorpio out of Gainesville and LMC from O’Brien, and then visit firehouse buildings they have previous constructed before selecting a contractor.
The company he chooses will design and build the fire house at a price the company offers plus a percentage of profit.
Councilman Berlon Weeks hinted Monday that Russell might be better off if he goes with competitive bids for the project rather than just picking a company to design and build the facility.
Attorney’s Letter
Town Attorney Steven Warm also raised similar questions in a letter suggesting competitive bidding might be in the town’s best interests.
“My primary concern has to do with bidding, whether it be mandated or simply preferred as the fairest way of doing business for a municipality,” Warm said.
“I am having trouble determining exactly where this company fits into the picture. Are they construction managers/agents who coordinate the whole project on behalf of the municipality, including bidding out the job – or are they themselves the general contractors? If they are the contractors shouldn’t we be bidding that out and seeing who else wants to be considered for the job? If they are just proposing to act as our surrogates for handling the whole process how and what do they get paid and should we be advertising for bids for that – for design/build management services to be sure we’re getting the best deal?
“I’m not embarrassed to tell you that it confuses me a little but I will keep working on it to be sure our answer is the right one as far as the legalities are concerned so whatever discretion the Council exercises will be legally sound,” Warm concluded.
$900,000 Legislative Allocation
The town has received $900,000 from the Florida Legislature to build the first phase of the firehouse. Russell has filed a request for an additional $950,000 but realizes he may not get all of it. Russell’s latest cost estimate for construction of the building is $1.2 million rather than the original estimate of $1.8 million.
Councilman Jason Hunt, who oversees the fire department, said he and Russell have seen photos of a firehouse Gray Construction built in Columbia County. Russell would prefer that design. Hunt said it’s a good design. The building is 80 by 160 feet.
Weeks said his concern is that Russell is about to embark on a $900,000 construction project without knowing whether he is getting the best price through the competitive bid process. He said he wants to make absolutely certain the town is getting the best price.
“Just as long as you realize what you’re getting when you do it,” Weeks said.
Keeping Town Government Where It Is
Weeks had one other suggestion, and it was a big one. He would prefer the new fire house be constructed at the site of the current one near the Town Hall. The current plan is to build the new firehouse just north of the county extension center on six acres of donated land.
“I know we’re bunched up on this property but it’s something to think about,” Weeks said.
Weeks wants to meet with Russell to measure the property to see if the new building would fit on the current municipal government property.
Councilman Aaron Edmondson agreed with Weeks.
“Why not use what we got,” he said.
Weeks said he is not opposed to the idea of tearing down the current fire station and the adjoining Dogan S. Cobb Municipal Building, which is in poor condition and using the space to build the new fire house. He also hopes the current Levy County Building and Zoning Department building across the street can be acquired and used for the Town Hall.
He said Dogan S. Cobb Municipal Building name could then be transferred to the replacement Town Hall across the street. He said the training room in the new fire department could serve as the Town Council meeting chambers. He is hoping the town can trade three pieces of property it owns to the county for building and zoning office complex.
Weeks’ overall goal is to keep town government concentrated where it is now.
He said town’s ISO fire safety rating extends outside of town for a distance on all sides. He said moving the firehouse to the northern edge of town, site of proposed firehouse, would exclude many residents east of Bronson from having a good fire safety rating for their building insurance.
Preliminary Talks
Councilman Robert Partin has started preliminary talks with county commission staff to trade three pieces of property for ownership of what is now the county building and zoning building near Town Hall. The building was once the site of First Federal Savings and Loan. It is a brick building with a drive-through window left over from the days when it was used for banking. The county ‘s building and zoning department will soon move to the former Bronson High School and Elementary School building behind the courthouse. The old school is being converted to a county office complex.
Partin said the county has expressed interest in what the town is proposing but nothing has been settled. The county and town are still in the talking stages.
The current Town Hall is perched atop a steep hill overlooking the fire department and the Dogan S. Cobb Municipal Building. If the town can secure the building and zoning offices from the county and it becomes Town Hall, the preliminary plan is to convert the current Town Hall into a community center. Access to the building would be from the back due to the steepness of the hill out front.
Town of Bronson Regular Meeting November 4, 2019; Posted November 5, 2019
