Allen County commissioners will decide next Tuesday morning whether to accept a bid from Nelson Excavating, Iola, to fill the hole created by razing of the old Allen County Hospital. Before then, Ag Engineering, Uniontown, will weigh in on the bid and what it proposes.
The bid projects 6,000 cubic yards of dirt will be needed to leave the site level and ready for construction of a new grocery by G&W Foods. Cost was put at $138,300. Nelson Excavating also bid $88,600, on the provision half as much dirt, 3,000 cubic yards, would be required; a portion of that bid prorated cost of additional dirt. Commissioners expect Ag Engineering to give a relatively firm estimation of how much dirt will be required.
“I’m disappointed we didn’t get additional bids,” to give better perspective, said County Counselor Alan Weber. He said as many as a dozen companies inquired.
Nelson Excavating’s bids included a timeline to 60 calendar days, with inclement weather to add to the number.
If weather were perfect, dry and warm, Weber estimated the work would be done “in a couple of weeks, but if it’s wet that could draw it out.”
Initially G&W Foods forecast construction of its new grocery would start in April. That could occur, but would have to have all pieces fall in place.
Carl Slaugh, Iola administrator, pointed out there remained issues with streets, utilities and setbacks, particularly with zoning of the area to accommodate apartment buildings as well as the grocery. Those things are not meant to hold up either project, he said, “just part of the process.”
Weber said cleaning up the north exit of the medical arts building was moving ahead, with footings for a stairwell to be prepared this week. The wall obliterated by dirt removal also should be covered soon, he said.
No mention was made of concerns that arose a week ago when a letter from G&W Foods said the store’s construction was on hold because of Iola’s reluctance to sign on to another year of having Thrive Allen County pursue economic development here and elsewhere in the county. County commissioners and Iola Industries have agreed to pay $20,000 each for Thrive’s services. Iola’s share also is $20,000.
MEANWHILE, David Toland, Thrive executive director, sent the Register an email making it clear how economic development efforts occurred through the support of Iola, the county and Iola Industries.
“The contract is with Thrive, not me,” Toland said. “We have three staff that work on economic development — Lisse Regehr, the grant writer position (vacant) and myself. I’m salaried and my compensation didn’t change when the economic development contract was signed in 2013. What changed was the allocation of my time to various grants and contracts; same for other staff.”
Once G&W is done Toland said he would assign someone else in Thrive (probably Regehr) to handle Iola economic development projects while he pursued those for the rest of the county.
