Bradford County Commissioners Ed Bustin (top, left) and Doug McLinko (right) depart the Green Free Library in Canton, where today’s public meeting of the commissioners was held. Above, McLinko, Bustin and Commissioner Daryl Miller (center) thank library board member Mary Campbell (not pictured) for the hospitality of her and the staff.
Photos and Story by Rick Hiduk
The Bradford County Commissioners took their show on the road again today, attending to some important business in the western part of the county along the way and announcing that the architectural engineering contract for the new Bradford County Public Safety Center had been awarded to Hunt Engineering.
According to Commissioner Ed Bustin, 14 bids were submitted for the project, which were whittled down to a final four. That the new facility be steeped in the latest technologies was a primary goal for the panel that vetted the contracts.
In a year that has already wrought a blizzard, flooding and high winds, McLinko noted, “It’s pretty easy to see that we need a state-of-the-art building to serve our county during tough times.”
“It was really good to see the depth of the proposals that we got,” Commissioner Daryl Miller added. “They brought everything to the table that we needed.”
In fact, the final choice was made between two local companies, Commissioner Doug McLinko explained. He credited both Andy Harding of ADH Design and Darin Rathbun of Hunt Engineering for delivering solid presentations. Hunt won the bid, McLinko related, because the technologies the company offered paralleled the technologies that the new Safety Center will employ.
There was another reason the commissioners sided with the Bradford County-based firm. Hunt bid $401,000 for the job, for which the county has budgeted $450,000. Additional, incidental costs are expected once ground is broken for the project, plus permitting fees. Hunt’s proximity to the site in North Towanda Township should keep additional fees for overtime, travel expenses, and unforeseen circumstances to a minimum, McLinko suggested.
In a separate order of business, the commissioners approved the hiring of Jeff Heath to provide consulting services for the project, noting that Heath worked closely with Tony Ventello of the Progress Authority in vetting the proposals. The county will soon be hiring a construction manager, McLinko added.
“Everybody’s getting really excited about getting this started,” he said. McLinko credited Bustin for bringing Heath, who will earn $35 per hour as a contracted employee from the county’s general fund, into the process. Hunt will be paid with Impact Fee money, which can be allocated for public safety projects.
Miller cautioned that there is a lengthy planning stage prior to construction. “There’s a lot of stuff that goes into that building,” he remarked. “This is something that’s going to serve the county for a long time to come. We want to get it right the first time.”
McLinko also vowed that safety during construction, which should begin in Spring 2018, is a primary concern. Subcontractors will also be scrutinized to prevent the hiring of anybody with drug or safety violations.
Unrelated Bid Tabled
The commissioners opted to take a sole bid for installation of a new cooling system for the courthouse “under advisement.” The bid of $98,700 from Kimble, Inc. of Elmira, NY, immediately raised eyebrows.
“That’s significantly over budget,” said Bustin.
“Yeah. About $40,000 over budget,” McLinko concurred.
Approximately $150,000 has been budgeted for the project, chief clerk Michelle Shedden related, and $105,000 has already been earmarked for the purchase of the “chiller unit” itself.
Tourism Agency Seeking Volunteers and Event Details
Robyn Chamberlain, executive director of the Bradford County Tourism & Promotion Agency, provided an update on plans for the upcoming tourism season that includes website and social media enhancement, a partnership with the Kitson Arts Alliance, and the publication of a new food and local goods guide.
“We need to do more to promote Bradford County,” she stated.
Chamberlain (above) is looking for volunteers to help manage the agency’s website and Facebook page, as well as submissions of details of public events that can be posted and promoted. A photo contest is in the works to help build a file of stock photos, and written pieces on local history, upcoming events, and iconic sites in Bradford County are being solicited.
Chamberlain announced a partnership with the Kitson Arts Alliance, an organization dedicated to the promotion of arts, antiques, and agriculture in the region, that has begun a revival of the North Branch Arts Trail. (Read more here: http://www.endlessmtnlifestyles.com/?p=7172)
Chamberlain introduced Mt. Pisgah State Park naturalist Nicole Carman Harris, who will spearhead the renewal of the Buy Fresh Buy Local food guide, previously funded by the Endless Mountains Heritage Region. The new guide, of which 10,000 copies will initially be printed, will feature farmers, growers, restaurants, bakers, and other vendors of food products based in Bradford, Tioga and Potter counties and will be paid for via sponsors and advertising.
Harris (above) took the opportunity to acknowledge that Mt. Pisgah State Park had received an Education Award on Wednesday evening at the PA Parks and Forests Foundation banquet held in Harrisburg. The staff of Mt. Pisgah last earned an award for their volunteer initiatives from the organization five years ago.
(To read about the commissioners’ discussions about county bridges, click here: http://www.endlessmtnlifestyles.com/?p=7439)
(To read about Corrections Employees Week in Bradford County and the Bradford County Prison Board, click here: http://www.endlessmtnlifestyles.com/?p=7463)
(To read more about the Green Free Library in Canton, click here: http://www.endlessmtnlifestyles.com/?p=7459)
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