Buildings were focus of Brooke Commission meeting
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WELLSBURG -- The creation of two new county facilities was the focus of Tuesday's Brooke County Commission meeting.
The commission opened five bids for the construction of a new central ambulance station to be built on a vacant lot near the intersection of Pleasant Avenue and state Route 2 at Wellsburg's north end.
The bids, which included a separate, alternate bid with a different flooring option, were: Walters Construction of Wheeling, $2,139,600, with a bid of $19,760 for the flooring; Lombardi Development of Follansbee, $2,170,000 and $6,500; Jarvis, Downing & Emch Construction Services of Wheeling, $3,100,000 and $29,000; Grae-Con Construction of Steubenville, $2,360,000 and $17,000; and Harry W. Trushel Construction of Weirton, $2,547,000 and $20,000.
The commissioners referred the bids to Thrasher Engineering of Clarksburg, which designed the building; and Russ Burns, who is serving as clerk of works for the project and the judicial center currently under construction.
Plans call for the one-story structure to include five bays for the ambulance service's vehicles. It will replace stations operating along state Route 2 at the north end of Follansbee and state Route 67 in the Marshall Terrace area.
The commissioners said they have set aside funds for the project in recent years, and it's not supported by the new emergency services levy approved by voters last fall for day-to-day operations for the ambulance service and emergency 911 center.
Following the meeting, County Commissioner Stacey Wise said construction of the new station is expected to begin this summer.
In related business, the commission opened a bid for an electric lift system to raise patients in stretchers into the county's ambulances and another bid for two such systems.
County Commissioner A.J. Thomas said the commission hoped it might save money by purchasing two systems at once, which proved to be the case.
The bids of about $75,520 for one and $146,473 for two, both from Stryker EMS Sales, were referred to the ambulance service's directors for review.
The commission earlier approved the purchase of two other systems in an effort to reduce injury to the county's ambulance crews.
County Commissioner Tom Diserio noted the system can be transferred to another ambulance if the one in which it's installed is retired.
The commissioners also agreed to advertise for data wiring for a security system for the new county prosecutor's office in the judicial annex under construction.
Thomas said most cabling for security in the new building is being funded by the state Supreme Court, but the prosecutor's office is the county's responsibility.
Funded by $12.8 million in bonds, the three-story, 33,000-square-foot structure also will house the county's circuit, magistrate and family courts and probation department.
Lack of space in the county courthouse and improvements to security for the various judicial facilities have been cited as key reasons for the new building, which will include a separate elevator by which those facing criminal charges may be transported and a handicap-accessible ramp to the front entrance.
Wise said supply chain issues have caused some delays in the construction, but she and the other commissioners look for it to be completed later this year.