Farmington hires architectural firm
The Farmington Town Board voted Monday, Sept. 17, to accept a proposal from Martenson and Eisele Inc. to design a new town hall.
An architectural and engineering firm based in Menasha, Martenson and Eisele has offered to do the project for $33,150 in architectural design fees and $22,700 in engineering fees for a total cost of $55,850.
At a special meeting of electors in August, Farmington citizens voted in favor of purchasing 10.54 acres of land as a site for the new town hall. The town board purchased the land for a total of $52,700.
Town Chairman Dale Trinrud said the board selected Martenson and Eisele because the firm is familiar with the property. The firm has already created land elevations and water table drawings of the parcel for the prior owner, David Mesunas, who had been considering it for a residential development.
"I don’t see any need to be paying twice for the same thing," Trinrud said, noting that the prior owner has given the town permission to use the existing drawings.
Jeffrey Schulz, an architect with Martenson and Eisele, said the firm will first meet with the town board to begin designing the new town hall. He said once a building footprint is determined, the engineers will begin drawing plans for a parking lot, water retention ponds and the septic system, while the architects will begin making conceptual drawings of the building.
The town board will present the initial drawings and concepts first to the Planning Commission, then to the general public for input.
"We will work with the board to set up a schedule," Schulz said.
Trinrud asked what would happen if the town residents did not approve the project. Schulz said his firm would stop working on it and charge the board only for the work that had already been finished.
Bid documents may be released as early as February 2013, with construction of the new town hall to begin in the spring.
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4 Comments for "Farmington hires architectural firm"
What exactly does "offered" mean? They are offering to do the job at cost? Offering to do it at cost 15%? At cost 45%?
It's amazing to me how many tax dollars are spent because a company knocked on the municipality's door and "offered" to do some work.
[quote] "I don’t see any need to be paying twice for the same thing," Trinrud said, noting that the prior owner has given the town permission to use the existing drawings.[/quote]
If the prior owner had given permission to use the existing drawings, how would the town have paid for them twice? You are getting them for free, right?
[b]OR, was there a deal: hire the same firm I did, and I'll give you permission to use the drawings?[/b]
When was the last time a municipality in this county put a job out for bid? All I hear about are "friendly" contracts; hiring companies because "we like them" or "we know them".
Just once, could the most cost efficient company be hired?
lastpercentile Sep 18, 2012 4:12 PM
KosmoKramer Sep 18, 2012 9:09 PM
It seems as though these town boards just can't "feel" their true power, unless they are sitting in their own buildings. A personal throne-room can't be borrowed.
All of them rent out their buildings, because they are hardly used for their intended purposes. Dayton spent over $10,000 "renovating" what was already a fairly new office - and now 95% of all the office work is done from employees' homes. They can't even be bothered to keep a mailbox on the premises - or at the post office, for that matter.
So why have a building?
lastpercentile Sep 18, 2012 9:19 PM
I'm sure the board knows better than I that there's a fair amount of traffic there heading in and out of the Chain O Lakes area.
Anyway, it's a cute little place and it might be of interest to someone for commercial purposes - especially since the NE corner is no longer available for commercial development. It might mean income for the Town - could it become a coffee or sandwich shop? gift shop? county or Chain tourism / information office?
mcdonaldwi Sep 20, 2012 12:02 PM