Progress made on Ottertail operations center

By Bob Williams | The Daily Journal

Published Thursday, October 25, 2007

Physical Plant Manager, Rick Sytsma and Architect David Schultz presented an update on the Ottertail City Operations Center to the Board of County Commissioners Tuesday.

“Everything is going very well and we are pleased for the most part with the progress,” Sytsma said.

According to the report, the building is almost to the point where winter weather will not be an issue. A septic system needs to be installed; the parking lot is in and the roof is on most of the building.

“It’s not far from being closed; that’s a good thing,” he said.

The project is on schedule and on or under budget. A change order of $24,000 was presented to the board for approval, comprised of project directives, from roofing changes, plumbing draining changes and other issues. The largest figure of the $24,000 needed is for additional roofing changes.

“Assuming this change order we’re halfway through project payouts, 25 percent through our contingency budget,” Sytsma said.

Of the original $236,000 allowed in contingency, the project remains with a change order balance of $174,000. Change orders have totaled nearly $62,000 to date. The original budget for the entire project was just under $4.5 million.

“We’re in good shape,” he said. “We know we have enough money.”