Board to address ag center contracts
By Steve Herring
Published in News on October 3, 2016 9:57 AM
Wayne County commissioners Tuesday are expected to approve nearly $4.5 million in contracts for the Maxwell Regional Agricultural and Convention Center and authorize the hiring of a director for the facility.
The director, under the co-supervision of the Wayne County manager, will develop strategic plans and long-range goals for the center and overall tourism industry in Wayne County.
The director also will oversee the development and promotion of the center and directing the physical operation and maintenance of the facility.
The director will be charged with "aggressively" promoting the use of the center and other Wayne County accommodations to "maximize utilization and the economic impact" of travel and tourism throughout Wayne County.
Tuesday's meeting will begin with an agenda briefing at 8 a.m. followed by the formal session at 9 a.m. Both will be held in the commissioners' meeting room on the fourth floor of the Wayne County Courthouse.
T.A. Loving Co., the construction manager at risk for the agricultural center, had previously opened bids for sitework.
The lowest bidder was Bridgepoint Civil, at $2,726,895. Since it is a construction manager at risk project, commissioners actually awarded the contract for T.A. Loving using the subcontractor's price.
Since that time T.A. Loving has bid out the remaining subcontracts. The company is recommending commissioners approve the subcontracts for concrete, $772,077; masonry, $1,498,896; structural and miscellaneous steel, $1,172,400; and plumbing, $554,000 -- a total cost of $3,997,373.
If approved it will bring the contract with T.A. Loving to date to $7,494,669.
The remaining subcontracts could be completed within the next two to three weeks.
Groundbreaking for the $19 million Maxwell Regional Agricultural and Convention Center was held July 16, and sitework is under way.
The center will be located on North Wayne Memorial Drive adjacent to Wayne Community College.
It will house the Cooperative Extension Service, Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Wayne County Soil and Water and have classrooms and a large lobby.
The center will be 1.5 acres under roof, and its assembly hall will seat 800 in a banquet setting and more than 1,500 when set up for a speaker.
It will hold 70 booths for a trade show or similar event.
The assembly hall also can be broken into four rooms of different sizes to accommodate crowds of 190, 210, 380 and 494 respectively.
In other business Tuesday:
* At 9:30 a.m. commissioners will convene as the Wayne County Board of Adjustment to hold a public hearing on a request for a special use permit for the proposed Millers Chapel Solar Farm, 660 Millers Chapel Road.
* Commissioners will consider approval of proclamations for Industry Appreciation Month and for National 4-H Week in the county.
* Wayne County Seniors Health Insurance Information Program Coordinator Lisa Barker will explain the open enrollment period for Medicare Part D and let citizens where they can receive assistance.
* Wayne Community College's new president, Dr. Thomas A Walker, will be introduced.
* New Assistant County Manager Phillip G. Ponder Jr. will be introduced.
* Commissioners will hold a work session on possible changes to the county noise ordinance.
Public comments will be taken at 9:15 a.m. Speakers will have four minutes.
Consent agenda items include: Application for present use value; K.W. Methodist Children's Home fireworks resolution; Department of Social Services salary increases; resolution adopting the ninth amendment to the position classification and pay plan for Wayne County; and budget amendments.