August 12, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
The City of Smithville is looking to hold spending for the new police department building to no more than $2.5 million.
The architect for the project, Wayne Oakley of Oakley Architects, LLC of Lebanon met with the Mayor and Aldermen Monday night to report that the contractor, Boyce Ballard Construction Company of Murfreesboro, has cut the cost to $2,395,749, a savings of almost $290,000 from the awarded bid price.
The aldermen had previously authorized the issuance of up to $2.7 million in bonds but Mayor Josh Miller said that can now be held to $2.5 million. That still leaves enough funds available to furnish the building after construction.
Should there be change orders, Oakley said the aldermen could authorize the mayor to approve them up to some amount, possibly not exceeding $10,000. Beyond that the aldermen would have to give their blessing. The mayor and aldermen will meet in special session Thursday, August 27 at 5 p.m. at city hall to consider making that official.
The new police department will be built on the north side of the city hall/fire department complex at Don Cantrell Street on land donated to the city.
The proposed facility will have a total roofed area of 12,800 square feet which includes a 1,400 square foot sally port. It is to encompass a front lobby, records clerk office, hallways, three holding cells, armory, conference and training rooms, offices for the chief, captain, detectives, and other officers, rooms for records, evidence, investigations, filing reports, locker room, electrical room, closets, restrooms, break room, and a sally port.
Groundbreaking is tentatively set for August 31. The contractor has 300 days to complete the project.