Commission picks architectural firm Thursday

An architectural firm’s needs assessment is the next step in the process that potentially replaces Howell County Jail with a new facility or justice center. In an update last week, Presiding Commissioner Ralph Riggs announced the commission, with input from Howell County Sheriff Matt Roberts, met with three firms. In an email Saturday, Riggs says they will announce the chosen firm on August 13. 

 

In April, the Commission published a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeking architectural services to conduct a needs assessment and provide potential design services for a new sheriff's office/jail and/or independent justice center, including courtrooms.

 

Four qualified firms responded to the RFQ: HOK Architects, of  St. Louis, Mo., Nform Architects, Springfield, Mo., HMN Architects, Overland Park, Kan., and Elevatus Architecture, Fort Wayne, Ind. 

 

The Commission eliminated HOK Architects, because the firm, “did not demonstrate the level of expertise we were seeking for this project based on the evaluation criteria,” Riggs wrote to Howell County News. 

 

The evaluation criteria were outlined in the RFQ, namely: 

1. The specialized experience and technical competence of the firm with respect to public facilities projects;

2. The capacity and capability of the firm to perform the work in question, including specialized services, within a specific time period;

3. The past record of performance of the firm with respect to such factors as control of costs, quality of work and ability to meet schedules;

4. The firm's proximity to and familiarity with the area in which the project is located; and 

5. References from previous clients of related work with the firm within the past five years.

 

“All three firms we interviewed have design experience with sheriff's offices, justice centers, and/or detention facilities, which was an important qualification to meet in our evaluation process,” Riggs said. 

 

“Throughout this process, our priority remains simple: do what is best for Howell County and its residents,” said last week’s announcement. 

 

As previously reported by the News, both Riggs and Sheriff Roberts say there’s a consensus that the current jail facilities are not meeting the county’s needs. This needs assessment should help the Commission and Sheriff determine whether they will approach taxpayers asking for a justice center or a new jail facility. 

 

Selecting an architectural firm does not mean a final project, design, or price has been determined, last week’s release stressed. This process is about gathering the professional information we need to understand our current and future law enforcement and justice needs, evaluate our options, and determine what is both practical and financially responsible.

 

“This is a major decision that will affect Howell County for decades. We intend to approach it carefully, transparently, and responsibly looking not only at what we need today, but at what will best serve Howell County well into the future. Our goal is not simply to build something new. Our goal is to find the right solution for Howell County,” reads the announcement. 

 

“We are committed to taking the time necessary to thoroughly evaluate all available options and move forward with what we determine to be the best long-term solution for Howell County with the least financial impact to our constituents,” Riggs wrote to the News Saturday.

 

“We are also mindful of the priorities expressed by Howell County residents. Before requesting any additional funding, we believe it is our responsibility to have a clear, well-defined plan. Residents deserve to know exactly what is being proposed, why it is needed, how it will be accomplished, and what the anticipated costs will be and the residents to be able to provide input into the process.

 

There will likely be a request for an additional sales tax and possibly a capital improvement tax, but as taxpayers ourselves we will be exploring all options to minimize the impact to our residents and only what will be necessary to achieve our goals. We have stressed to each firm that we interviewed that we don't want a design that will grace the cover of Architectural Digest, but we do want an option that is functional for our needs today and for the future.”

To keep the public informed, the Commission plans to add a page to the county website with updates. That website is howellcountymo.gov. 

 

Commission meetings are Mondays and Thursdays at 10:00 a.m., and are open to the public. Meetings take place at 35 Court Square, Room 302, West Plains. 

Public input is desired, Riggs confirms.