Mount Vernon hears design update on proposed police station bond; team says estimate trimmed to about $26 million

Mount Vernon City Council on March 9 heard a detailed update on the proposed police station funded by Ordinance 2026-04, a bond ordinance with an amount not to exceed $29 million.

At the Finance and Budget Committee meeting before the council session, the project's owner's representative team from Pazuti Solutions briefed council members on progress through design and cost estimating. "The facility is around 36,858 square feet," said Cigarette Parks, vice president with Pazuti Solutions Group. Parks said the project is about 75% through construction documents and the team expects 100% CDs within weeks.

Parks described the standard sequence the owner's team is following: the design firm delivers construction documents; the construction manager at-risk produces estimates and, if the project is within budget, staff will recommend advancing the drawings to permitting. "Estimates are incredibly useful and valuable metrics that guide the design process," Parks said. "But ultimately the cost of your project is what it costs on bid day." She added that if the CD estimate comes in over budget the team will pursue value management options — deferring work, shelling out spaces, or substituting materials — to return the project to an acceptable cost.

Parks said the unadjusted CD estimate was just over $29 million; after a nearly three-week value-management exercise the project team trimmed that to "just over $26 million" at nearly 100% CDs. The presentation noted roughly $2 million of earlier funding came through a one-time state strategic fund credited to Sen. Andrew Briner.

Mr. Maym, chair of the Finance and Budget Committee, reminded council that while a number of sections in the ordinance packet were being amended tonight, those changes are procedural and the ordinance will be presented as a clean third reading in two weeks. He also emphasized the GMP — the guaranteed maximum price established on bid day — will be the ultimately controlling number for the project.

Council members asked staff to confirm what the estimates include; a council member asked whether the reduced $26 million estimate covered furnishings and finishing, and the presenter confirmed it did. Parks and staff said the project retains capacity to shell future spaces to allow later build-out if needed.

What happens next: staff expect to complete 100% construction documents soon, perform final reviews and receive CM-at-risk estimates; if documents and estimates are within the council-approved budget the project will be forwarded for permitting and then bid. Ordinance 2026-04 received its second reading and will return for a cleaned third reading at the next council meeting.