Architect contract on council agenda
North Little Rock City Council members will be asked Monday to approve legislation to authorize a city contract with an architectural firm for the new police and courts building with a revised project cost of $30 million.
The resolution states that the "total project cost" is "not to exceed" $30 million and that the figure is "including 7.7 percent" of the cost for the architect's architectural and engineering design services and construction administration, which means it is part of the $30 million price.
The firm chosen is Hoefer Wysocki Architects LLC of Leawood, Kan.
Some council members said they were caught off guard in August when the cost for the downtown Argenta Plaza now under construction jumped from $4 million to $5.365 million, partly because a 15 percent fee that was charged by its architects was added to the project's price tag. Some council members said then that they had understood that the architect's fee was included as part of the $4 million "total project cost" stated in previous legislation.
The new police building originally was to be funded by $20 million from a one-half percent, five-year city sales tax for capital improvement projects that became effective Jan. 1. Mayor Joe Smith said last month that an extra $10 million will be needed. Smith said he plans to ask the council to approve a bond issue next year to pay for the construction overrun.
Open house, event for Witcher on tap
The city clerk-treasurer's office will host an open house reception in City Hall at 300 Main St. from 3:30-5 p.m. Monday before the regularly scheduled 6 p.m. North Little Rock City Council meeting.
The open house event will transition into a retirement reception for outgoing Ward 4 City Council member Murry Witcher from 5-5:45 p.m. Witcher is retiring from the council when his seventh term ends Dec. 31, having been on the council for 28 years.
Both receptions are open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.
The City Council regularly meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month. However, the final council meeting of the year has been rescheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26, because city government offices will be closed Dec. 24-25 for Christmas Eve and Christmas.
Joint push helped clear Hoga's path
Cooperation between city, county, state and federal government programs all assisted in solving environmental problems that hindered the restoration of the historic Hoga tugboat at North Little Rock's Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum.
The Hoga is a surviving boat from Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, and was recognized for its firefighting and life-saving efforts in the attack's aftermath. The museum finally received clearance recently to open for public tours portions of the boat that previously had been off-limits while awaiting federal Environmental Protection Agency review.
The first tours coincided with the museum's Pearl Harbor Day observance Friday.
Gaining EPA approval was assisted by nearly $185,000 through Pulaski County's Brownfield program for an EPA Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund subgrant, according to a Pulaski County news release.
The subgrant was used to complete required environmental investigation, risk management and site cleanup, before opening the Hoga, according to the news release. The Hoga, which carries National Landmark status, is the first and only boat to be accepted into the EPA's Brownfield program, the news release said.
Metro on 12/09/2018