Grant Co. accepts $155.5 million price for new jail

Apr. 9—EPHRATA — Grant County Commissioners have decided to accept a "guaranteed maximum price" of about $155.55 million for the new Grant County Jail. Marc Seeberger, project manager for general contractors Lydig Construction, gave commissioners an estimate of the total project cost, one option including administrative offices for the Grant County Sheriff, the other without the offices.

The estimate including GCSO administration offices was $155.55 million; without the administration office, the projected cost is $134.21 million. County officials already have spent about $4.2 million on the project, and that was deducted from the estimate.

"I think that is the number you really need to know," Seeberg said. "From Lydig's standpoint, we only deal in the construction costs, but there's a whole level of costs that the owner pays on these projects — sales tax, testing, inspections, land acquisition, fixtures, furnitures and equipment. So you guys are probably most interested in what the total project cost is going to be."

Commissioners issued $90 million in limited general obligation bonds in 2022. County voters approved a three-tenths of one percent increase in the county sales tax in 2019 to pay for law and justice projects, including the new jail.

The jail and how to pay for it was the subject of two meetings Tuesday, and commissioners also discussed the option of a contract to start some construction and buy some materials. But Grant County Treasurer Darryl Pheasant said he thought starting with that process, called a "mini-MAC," put the county at increased risk of higher costs. Commissioner Cindy Carter said she agreed.

"My feeling is that we should move forward with the $155 million project," she said.

In answer to a question from Commissioner Rob Jones, Seeberg said the market for materials is very volatile, and while it's not as volatile as it was, he doesn't expect costs to go down. Labor costs are very likely to go up, he said.

Commissioner Danny Stone said he thought Seeberg was right, and knowing that, was in favor of accepting the current estimate.

The commissioners would still have the option of building the jail without the GCSO administration offices. Pheasant said revenues generated through the law and justice sales tax eventually should be adequate to finance all the bond payments. But Sheriff Joe Kriete said waiting would almost invariably increase the cost.

"If we wait five years and do the sheriff's office later, it's going to be $8 to $10 million on top of the $24 million (current estimate)," Kriete said. "So now you're looking at $34 million. Are you willing to hold off five years to spend $10 million more?" he asked.

With the $4.2 million that's already been spent, county officials bought the old Ephrata Raceway and cleared the site. Currently, construction crews are working on installing underground utilities.

Tom Gaines, director of Grant County Central Services, said the current estimate does not include the cost, about $4 million, of a roundabout at the intersection of Nat Washington Way and State Route 28. Other agencies might partner with Grant County on the roundabout, which would reduce the cost to the county, Gaines said.

In addition, county officials are planning to build a new morgue to replace the facility inside the existing Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake. A new hospital is under construction, and plans to include the morgue in the new hospital didn't work out.

In a meeting with the commissioners Tuesday, Grant County Coroner Craig Morrsion suggested a facility of about 10,000 square feet, which is larger than previous estimates.

Commissioners will be meeting next week to talk about a proposal for a bond to pay for the morgue, the roundabout and the additional cost of the jail.

Cheryl Schweizer may be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.