Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
LEESBURG - The Plain Township Advisory Board is moving ahead - cautiously - with plans for a new township building.
The building would contain a large fire station, space for Plain Township EMS, sleeping quarters for men and women, offices for the township assessor and trustee, and a public meeting room. The building is tentatively being planned for construction on land at the intersection of Armstrong and Baseline roads.
The project has support from all board members, but concern has been expressed at its cost, estimated at just over $1 million.
The project would require a bond issue of about $1.05 million, Chuck Dalton of H.J. Umbaugh & Associates told the board Friday. This would increase the tax rate 10 or 11 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, depending on the interest rate when the bonds were sold.
A taxpayer who owns a home worth $125,000 would pay about $36 more a year in property taxes, said trustee Don Boggs.
"The project cost is way too high for me," said board member Craig Charlton, adding that he would be more comfortable with an 8-cent tax rate increase.
He said he supports the project, but would like to see bids come in with options that would lower the price.
Construction options could include fixed or operable windows, types of stairs, and gravel or asphalt for the parking area, said architect Mary Ellen Rudisel of Scearce and Associates.
Board member Jerry Kammerer said he would like to see an option without a basement. That would reduce costs $40,000 to $50,000, Rudisel said.
She said if they brought costs down $100,000 it would make a difference of only about 1 cent on the tax rate. "And $100,000 is lot of options.
"Your building is not an extravagant building," she said. "You've been very conservative with the taxpayers' money to produce the best possible building at the lowest possible price."
"It's high priced - I realize that - but what isn't high priced?" said Boggs, adding that they were getting a good quality building.
"We have been very conscientious to build a building we need - a building for the future, not just for today," said board member Martha Mayer.
The board will meet at 1 p.m. Aug. 12 to adopt a preliminary bond ordinance. Rudisel will publish the notice to bidders Aug. 13 and 20, with bids due Sept. 3. Members will make the final decision to complete the project after the bids come in.
The bonds can't be sold until after the board decides to go forward, Dalton said. To stay on track with the tentative schedule, the board would need to decide by Sept. 24.
Construction could begin this fall if crews can get the footers in before it gets too cold. Otherwise, construction would not begin until spring.
Once construction begins, the building will take six to eight months to complete, Rudisel said.
