An architects’ earlier rendering of the new Twisp civic building and operations center: looking to close the gap between the construction estimate and received bids.
By Don Nelson
The Town of Twisp will ask the federal Department of Agriculture to extend a Rural Development loan of up to $1.5 million to help with construction of a new civic building and regional communications center.
At its meeting last week, the Town Council authorized the request for federal funds to augment the approximately $3 million already available for the building’s construction.
Technically, the authorization was an amendment to a previous loan request to the federal agency, increasing the amount to a maximum of $1.5 million.
Construction bids for the new civic building, which were opened on Feb. 24, came in much higher than the projected cost of about $2.835 million. The lowest bid of the three submitted was $3.587 million by Leone & Keeble of Spokane. Other bids ranged up to $4.497 million.
This is the second time the town’s call for bids has drawn proposals well over the estimated construction price. In May 2020, construction bids for the new building came in about $1 million higher than the $3 million cost estimated by Architects West, the Idaho-based firm that is designing the facility. That caused construction on the project, which was expected to begin last summer, to be postponed to this year.
For most of the past year, Public Works Director Andrew Denham and his staff have been “value engineering” the building’s specs to bring costs down, which included reducing the square footage, eliminating some amenities and altering finishings and fixtures.
According to information provided to the Town Council last week, the town currently has funding totaling a little more than $3 million, which represents a combination of state capital improvement appropriations, Community Development Block Grant proceeds, and town funds.
With some construction options eliminated, Leone & Keeble’s bid comes to about $3.5 million. Total project costs, including construction, furnishings, appliances, equipment, taxes and a 10% contingency fund, bring the estimated construction cost to about $4.6 million.
Mayor Soo Ing-Moody told the council that the Department of Agriculture has assured her that the town doesn’t have to use all of the requested loan amount, if other funding sources are identified to help close the cost gap.
Ing-Moody said the civic building construction issue will be on the Town Council’s March 23 agenda.
The new building will be constructed at the site of the existing town hall, which will be demolished. In addition to housing town administrative offices and police headquarters, the civic building is also being designed to serve as an emergency operations center for the valley. Several state appropriations are expected to cover most of the building’s cost.
In other business, the council authorized Ing-Moody to write a letter to the state Department of Ecology, opposing the proposal by a private investment company to create a new water bank that would allow the company to acquire water rights anywhere within the vast Columbia River basin in Washington state, including tributaries like the Methow River. Crown Columbia Water Resources LLC has applied for an “area-wide water permit,” which Ecology is reviewing.
“What it comes down to is an outside entity wanting to purchase our local water for profit,” Ing-Moody said. “The control would not be in our hands.”
Ing-Moody noted that the town has a recent history of struggling to acquire enough water to serve its residents and accommodate growth. “Our priority is for the well-being of our community,” she said. “This is adverse to the town’s interests.”
Council members also expressed support for local control of water sources. “It’s pretty simple,” council member Mark Easton said. “Just say ‘no.’”
The Winthrop Town Council had a similar resolution of opposition to the Crown Columbia proposal on the agenda for its Wednesday (Marcy 17) meeting. The resolution stated that “the Town of Winthrop will endeavor to actively oppose inappropriate outside attempts to turn the Methow water into a for-profit commodity.” The City of Okanogan earlier took a similar position.
