County slows down on Keokuk EMS facility

LEE COUNTY – Plans for a new EMS ambulance building in Keokuk hit a small snag Monday as Supervisors prepared to approve construction plans.
During a prebid meeting last week, the committee putting the project together found some parts of the building concept that weren't congruent with original plans.
Mark Klesner, the county's safety coordinator and a member of the committee, said there were some costs that could be saved.
"In discussions with the engineer and one of our county maintenance guys, we feel there are few things within those drawings that we could probably change and save a little money on the building," Klesner said.
Supervisor Tom Schulz echoed the comment.
"He’s exactly correct. There are things within those drawings that are contrary to precisely what they were told to put in those drawings,” Schultz said.
Klesner said it was also pointed out by a potential subcontractor that there could be a delay in obtaining some of the electrical boxes and switch gear running 3-phase electric to that building.
Klesner said he followed up with the engineer and asked if they needed 3-phase to run the air conditioners and things of that nature in the building, or if they could go with typical 220 service.
The engineer said that could be an option for design. Klesner said the county could do an addendum prior to the bids coming in on the work.
Mark Long, Director of the Lee County EMS service, said a building committee is being planned to go over the changes.
"They're already working on an addendum for some IT stuff that came up, so there is already one underway that those changes could be a part of,” Long said.
Supervisor Garry Seyb asked the board to delay approving the blueprints until the other changes could be worked out.
Klesner also said that during the committee meeting it was discovered that the supervisors hadn’t approved the drawings or the committee had neglected to get those drawings to the board before Tuesday.
In an unrelated issue, the board approved a letter of support to be sent to a state committee reviewing the state’s list of boards and commissions. The letter  advocates for the state to keep its membership with the Mid-America Port Commission.
Reynolds has engaged a committee to publicly review the need for respective commissions and boards.
Seyb said he received a communication from Mike Norris, Director of Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission, asking for the letter. Norris also is currently the governor’s appointee to the MAPC, along with Denise Boyer of Hall Towing.
“It looks like there’s some discussion about possibly disbanding that or having a significant turn from what it currently is,” Seyb said.
He said the authority was created as a tri-state endeavor as a way to share knowledge and information about river commerce issues through the Corps of Engineers, State DOT offices, and federal DOT offices.
“This gives us a group approach instead of all three states coming in individually,” he said. “There’s no cost to us and they are asking for a letter of support from us and I would like to send that letter.”
Supervisor Chuck Holmes asked why the state would want to disband an organization like that if there’s no cost to the state. Supervisor Tom Schulz said the state is giving a lot of commissions a hard look.
“They are doing that with a long list. It’s almost like the bureaucrats don’t want to hear from the people involved in the concept,” Schulz said.
Seyb said the effort is aimed at streamlining government and, although it doesn’t carry a cost, it does “pack a punch” in issues that affect the county economically.
The board voted unanimously to send the letter of support to the Iowa Boards and Commissions Review Board during a public comment time in the governor’s review.