Plans for the new community center are moving forward, ORB Management President Tom Wacholz told the county board on March 22. The Community Center Steering Committee will soon be deciding where the facility will be located, the amenities it will house, the components of its mechanical and electrical systems, and what the building will look like.
Wacholz said the committee welcomes suggestions from the community but warned, “Time is running out for the public to provide input.”
ORB has been gathering data on YMCA facilities since the organization has successfully built and run so many of them throughout the country. Fitness centers, aquatics, and large multi-purpose rooms are what sell memberships, Wacholz said. The multi-purpose rooms can be laid out for various sports but used for other activities such as weddings and dances as well.
County Commissioner Sue Hakes said the committee expects the facility to be used by a wide range of community groups, from Girl Scouts to senior citizens and from nonprofit organizations to families.
Commissioner Fritz Sobanja, on the steering committee, said he was afraid some elements such as indoor curling and hockey might be dropped from the plans. He also said he thinks the owners of the private fitness center, the Pumphouse, should be included in the planning process so that the new facility does not compete with their business.
No one is saying the ice rink needs to be dropped, Wacholz said. ORB is providing the committee with information so they can make informed decisions, he said.
Notes taken by JLG Architects at a February steering committee meeting state, “Should curling be in or out? They were instrumental in the creation of the current community center. They are down in membership numbers from where they used to be. There was much discussion on this subject, as it is a big cost.
“…Is sharing of ice between curling and hockey practical? Other clubs do it. …Hockey could still be maintained outside if needed. The covered canopy over an exterior rink could be a $750,000 to $950,000 cost. It was moved in and out of the budget spreadsheet to see the [effect] on the bottom number.
“Discussed the possibility of leaving the existing curling floor in place. This would save $1.4 to $1.7 million. The problem with this solution is that the current system is at the end of its expected life and it is located in the area of the site that is better suited for the front entry.”
“We’re working on it,” Hakes said. “My opinion is that the 1 percent tax was not passed to take anything away from anybody.”
Library expansion
Tom Wacholz told the board that in order for the library project to proceed, the county needed to decide what it and the City of Grand Marais’ roles and responsibilities would be. The city owns the building and both entities help pay to run it.
Wacholz proposed two possibilities: creating an addendum to the existing joint powers agreement with the city that would put management of the project in the hands of the county or require the city to apply for the 1 percent tax funding and manage it themselves.
The next decision would be to decide whether to hire a construction manager to oversee the project on the county’s behalf or to send out requests for proposals to general contractors. The cost would be about the same either way, Wacholz said. “If a project is professionally managed, no matter how it’s done it’s going to cost the same,” he said. He narrowed the difference between a construction manager and a general contractor down to “interests” and “liabilities.”
If ORB were the construction manager, they would have someone onsite to manage dayto day operations as well as someone overseeing the entire project, Wacholz said.
It’s just a small, simple project, Commissioner Sobanja said.
Auditor-Treasurer Braidy Powers said in combination with the other four 1 percentfunded projects (with a possibility of more), the project would be neither small nor simple for his office. Having a construction manager managing all the details would be really helpful, he said.
Sue Hakes made a motion, seconded by Bruce Martinson, to add the addendum to the city/county joint powers agreement as discussed and to enter into a contract with ORB for construction management. The motion passed unanimously.
Wacholz said his company would start working with the architectural firm right away.
“Can you manage a Japanese nuclear power plant?” Commissioner Jim Johnson asked Wacholz.
“Absolutely!” was the reply.
Hiring locally
Commissioner Bruce Martinson said he talked to the Planning & Zoning office and found out that the number of building permits in effect throughout the county right now indicates that local trades people are likely to be available for projects such as the library addition. He has expressed his support for hiring as many local contractors and trades people as possible for the 1 percent projects.
“They’re supporting us,” Commissioner Jan Hall said, “so we should support them.”
Commissioner Sobanja expressed a concern that some local contractors might not be prepared to be bonded, a typical requirement on such projects. Commissioner Martinson recommended that they suggest to Cook County Higher Education that they offer a class on how to get bonded. Board Secretary Janet Simonen said she would contact both Higher Ed and Community Ed with the suggestion.
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