The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Thursday) received bids for the reconstruction of the lower floor of a building at 707 Poplar Street, but did not approve the recommended bid. The Board instead took the matter under advisement, while the Omaha architectural firm of Carlson, West and Povandra, gathers specific information on a line-item of the costs the low bidder submitted.

Architect Matt Krause

CWP Architect Matt Krause told the Supervisors there were five bids submitted and reviewed last Thursday (May 22nd), for the renovation of the Cambridge Building destined for use as a new, Cass County Communications Center. Krause said the recommended a bid by TBB&M, LLC, out of Greenfield, with their lump sum bid of $356,000. He said the bids came in higher than the engineer’s estimate due to the later addition of a fully redundant HVAC system, generator and a gaseous fire suppression system.

The bids ranged from $356,000 to as much as $422,000, but were tightly grouped together for the most part, and generally under $400-thousand. TBB&M’s low bid was still about $100,000 more than the engineer’s estimate, but again Krause said that was because of the late additions to the bid spec sheet. The same company handled renovation of the Atlantic City Hall. The estimated completion date for the project is no later than December 15th. The bulk of the time delay is with regard to the ordering and installation of a 125-watt backup power generator, which is 75-watts less then the generator that backs-up the courthouse.

Cass County 9-1-1 Director Rob Koppert said he has no problem with TBB&M’s maximum completion date for the project, but it’s important that it not be any later, due to the requirements of a grant. He said it has to be operational by June 30th, 2015, because the County is applying for and in competition with, other counties, for a 100-thousand dollar grant to help pay for the Next Generation 9-1-1 system and servers. Other factors that figure into the deadline he says, are out of his control, such as change orders for the phone system, etc.

The Cass County 9-1-1 Advisory Council will be submitting its grant application by the end of June, with the hope the equipment can be ordered by July 1st. Ideally, Koppert says he’d like for the new Comm Center to be operational by end of November, 2015, but the Federal mandate is Dec., 2015. Koppert pointed out that the nearly $45,000 cost of the redundant air conditioning/HVAC system and generator will be paid for out of the County’s 9-1-1 Surcharge dollars, not from property tax dollars. He said they would have to amend the 9-1-1 Service Board’s budget, because they don’t have the money right now, but would be able to take a slightly bigger loan out they can be easily paid-off with fees received from the Wireless Surcharge.

(Updated 1:37-p.m. w/comments from Koppert)

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Sioux City firefighter is recovering after being overcome by heat and dehydration while fighting a house fire. The Sioux City Journal reports that the firefighter was sent to Mercy Medical Center on Wednesday night. He and other firefighters were battling a house fire in a single-story home reported around 8:30 p.m. The fire was extinguished with half-an-hour.

Assistant Fire Chief Robert Wilson says he is unsure how many people were inside the house when the fire broke out, but said no other injuries were reported. Wilson says the house was heavily damaged by fire and smoke. The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Officials with the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino being built in downtown Sioux City say the casino will open for business this summer. The Sioux City Journal reports casino general manager Todd Moyer said on Wednesday that the casino will welcome its first guests on Aug. 1st. Moyer estimates that work on the $128.5 million downtown project, which began eight months ago, is about 80 percent finished.

The casino and hotel will employ about 500 people. With fewer than three dozen positions filled so far, the majority of hiring will occur over the next two months. About 130 candidates for table game jobs are being trained at a Hard Rock-sponsored dealer school that began Tuesday.

A job fair for the casino is scheduled June 4th and 5th.

Authorities in Audubon report two people were taken into custody, one of them after a brief pursuit, Wednesday. According to the Audubon Police Department, the arrests were the result of a joint investigation involving the Audubon Police Department and the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office. Both agencies had been looking for 29 year old Elyaxel Vasquez of Fort Dodge, with regard to felony warrants and a parole violation.

When authorities observed Vasquez inside a local business in Audubon, he fled on foot. After a short foot chase, Vasquez was apprehended and taken into custody on the warrants. Also arrested in connection with the incident, was 29 year old Brittany Marie Vasquez, of Audubon. She was charged with Interference With Official Acts. Brittany was subsequently released on her own recognizance.

Elyaxel Vasquez, who was wanted on Webster County warrants for Theft in the 2nd and 3rd degree as well as for violating his parole,  was being held in the Audubon County Jail awaiting extradition.