Forensic center progresses; county developing repeatable EMS station design and scheduling HVAC upgrades

Director Jim Dodd of Facilities Maintenance reported construction progress at the Regional Forensic Center and described near‑term steps for county facility projects.

Forensic center: Dodd said stormwater work and retaining pond structures are complete, underground plumbing inspections passed, and structural steel deliveries are underway. No delays or open change orders were reported; the four‑week look‑ahead includes CMU work, slab preparations and transformer delivery.

EMS station concept: staff showed a repeatable design concept of approximately 2,860 square feet intended as a template for future freestanding EMS stations. The concept includes larger vehicle bays to accommodate future ambulance chassis, two dedicated shower rooms separate from restrooms, an isolated mechanical/MDF room, and a tornado shelter area. The architect expects complete construction documents and pricing by late December; preliminary cost guidance discussed in committee was about $1.4 million for a typical station, subject to architect pricing.

Other projects: rooftop unit replacement at 20 North completed successfully with no damage; the county plans minor site safety and efficiency improvements at the Smyrna convenience center (estimated ~$20,000 for striping, an additional queuing lane, signage and speed mitigation). Recovery Court HVAC upgrades will proceed to bidding, with grant funding covering a portion of the cost.

Staff said the Bank of America due‑diligence is still pending consultant reports (structural, mechanical and environmental) and that those reports will be presented to the committee when complete.