Bids are now open for working on Callaway County's new jail.
Callaway County Presiding Commissioner Gary Jungermann said construction on the facility will begin this spring and will connect to the existing Callaway County Sheriff's Office/jail complex.
"It'll start in March or April, depending on when the weather breaks," said MacKenzie Thorp, of Little Dixie Construction, which is providing construction managing services during the project.
He said the goal is to complete construction in 18-20 months, though "all schedules are made to be broken," and it could wrap more quickly or more slowly.
Architectural project manager Adam Kuehl, of HMN Architects, said the county will expect monthly updates to the schedule from contractors and subcontractors.
On Thursday morning, a crowd of hopeful subcontractors gathered at 54 Country to get details about the project and bidding process. After bids close Dec. 17, Little Dixie will be evaluating them; bids will be rewarded in 30-60 days.
Bids may be submitted directly to Little Dixie's office (1431 Cinnamon Lane, Columbia) through Procore, via fax to 573-449-7300 or by email to [email protected]. For additional information, email [email protected] or [email protected] by Dec. 9.
One of the subcontractors pointed out that by allowing subcontractors to mix and match what aspects of the project they bid on, it'll be harder to identify the low bids.
"We want the best product for the county at the best price," Thorp said. "I know we're making it a little tougher on ourselves."
In total, the county anticipates spending $16.5-$17 million on constructing the new jail, attaching it to the building, renovating parts of the old sheriff's office, demolishing the old inmate housing area and putting in additional parking.
The project will be funded through two half-cent sales taxes passed in November 2019. One sets sunsets in 21 years or whenever the final payment occurs on project financing. The other continues indefinitely: In addition to helping pay for the construction and operation of facilities, it's also aimed at better compensating the county's law enforcement officers and hiring additional officers.
The new jail will have an all-new booking and housing area, Jungermann said. It'll house up to 152 beds, two to each steel cell, plus an addition six work-release beds and a four-bed trustee dorm. Up to 30 female inmates will share two-day rooms; they'll be separated from male inmates and won't have to pass the male dorms to reach other parts of the jail. Right now, the jail is housing up to 18 female inmates in a single big repurposed work-release room.
Jungermann said the new jail will feature improved security measures. From the "bubble" at the center of the housing area, corrections officers will be able to see right into every day room, which will also be equipped with cameras.
There will also be an area for video visitation, as well as one analog visitation room with a window. New padded cells will offer a safe place for inmates with mental health needs.
"It's a pretty great setup," Jungermann said.
Parts of the original jail will be repurposed as storage, and the current sheriff's office will get new paint and carpeting, plus a brand-new extension connecting to the new jail. The expansion will have what Jungermann called "soft interview rooms," where deputies can interview witnesses and suspects without bringing them into the jail itself.
"We're going to reuse most of the old facility," Jungermann said.
The jail's crumbling old housing area, however, will be demolished to make way for additional parking.
The county's other major construction project, an all-new judicial center at Second and Market in Fulton, is still in the planning stage.
"We should have those plans done by roughly first part of January and go out to bid in mid- to late January," Jungermann said.
Construction should start in the summer and last about 15 months. By staggering construction start times, Jungermann hopes the county will be able to attract smaller local subcontractors to both projects. Some have too few employees to work on two construction sites at once, he explained.