Maximum cost for justice center $66.8 million

The Carlton County board of commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to accept the guaranteed maximum price for the construction of the new justice center at just over $66.8 million, nearly double early estimates.

County coordinator Dennis Genereau said the county passed the point of no return with this particular vote.

“This was a significant decision,” Genereau told the Pine Knot News. “There is no turning back now. After eight years of planning and answering countless questions and concerns, the county board has made the decision to proceed.”

It will be the largest Carlton County building project since the building of the present Carlton County Courthouse in 1922-24. In addition to replacing the current jail — built in 1979 with an addition in 1981 — the justice center will house the courts system, including three courtrooms and space for the magistrate, family court and civil trials and family matters. The justice center also will house offices for the county attorney, probation, guardian ad litem, public defenders, sheriff’s office, sheriff’s office equipment and a garage. The jail portion of the building will house 80 offenders, versus 48 in the current jail. The new jail will have greater flexibility in terms of housing men and women: the current jail has long been inadequate for the rising number of female offenders.

Sixteen beds for a regional women’s program will be included: they will be housed in “more therapeutic” cells versus the “hard cells” that will house county offenders. The program will be a first for the region and for the state of Minnesota.

The special meeting called for July 21 took less than a half-hour to complete and with little discussion by the board members. The exact maximum bid from general contractor Adolfson & Peterson was $65,842,008, and doesn’t include soft costs such as architectural/engineering fees, consultant work, utility work needed for the new structure, security, technology services, furnishings, and bond/financing costs and more.

There was a strong showing at the special meeting from the legal community. On hand to show their support for the building project were Leslie Beiers, chief judge of the Sixth Judicial District, former chief judge Michael Cuzzo, Carlton County judges Rebekka Stumme and Amy Lukasavitz and county attorney Lauri Ketola.

Sheriff Kelly Lake thanked the county board, her own staff, and the justice department partners for all their work and dedication to the project.

Lake singled out special recognition to jail supervisor Paul Coughlin for all his work on the project, which she said would not have been possible without his expertise. Another employee of the Sheriff’s Office has helped with handling his duties when necessary.

Also Thursday, the county board approved another round of bids for work on the complex:

• Below grade concrete, Adolfson & Peterson, $1,760,000

• Structural steel install, KMH Steel Erectors, $220,200

• Waterproofing, Kremer Davis, $12,350

• Geothermal well field, Mineral Service Plus, $2,892,000

• Asphalt, Northland Constructors, $728,400

• Site concrete, Adolfson & Peterson, $338,000

Another round of bids is scheduled in November, just after a decision is made by the voters to approve or deny a half-cent increase in the sales tax — which would pay back most of the cost of construction over the next 30 years. According to Genereau, successful bids at that time will probably come more from the Northeastern Minnesota suppliers and contractors.

Site work involving grubbing and removing the trees and vegetation from the building site, northeast of the current transportation building, will commence shortly. A justice center groundbreaking ceremony is set for 4 p.m. Aug. 22. The scheduled adjourned session at that time will be convened; those participating in the golden shovel ceremony will walk over to the site, and the meeting will be reconvened when commissioners and staff get back to the transportation building.