THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 5, 1996 TAG: 9609050362
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CURRITUCK LENGTH: 72 lines
Currituck County commissioners have approved a $4.4 million bid to build a new judicial complex near the existing courthouse.
W.M. Jordan Co. of Newport News, Va., was the low bidder last month for the 40,000-square-foot structure on 27 acres of county-owned land.
Jordan's bid of $4,375,000 as the single contractor was about $7,100 less than the next-lowest bidder, Hoy Construction of Norfolk. The highest, at $4,884,000, came from Norfolk-based VIRTEXCO.
The lowest bid for a general contractor with sub-contracts was just more than $4,441,200.
Having one contractor perform almost all the work is bound to benefit the county administratively, said Dan Scanlon, the Currituck County finance director.
One of the architects involved with the project agreed.
``I think that alone will save the county considerable dollars,'' Norfolk architect David Cederquist told the Board of Commissioners at Tuesday's regular meeting.
The low bid was still about $95,000 more than the county had expected to spend for the construction. But Cederquist said Tuesday night that Jordan Co. offered some cost-saving suggestions.
The bid does not include a wastewater system or furnishings, which probably will bring the total cost to at least $5 million.
Other outstanding costs include computers, telephones, security equipment and landscaping.
Earlier, commissioners approved borrowing up to $5.75 million from BB&T Leasing Corp. at an annual interest rate of no more than 4.89 percent.
Unlike the county's current project - a $16.4 million high school under construction - the new judicial complex will not raise property taxes.
Repayment on money borrowed from BB&T will be from sales tax proceeds during the next seven to 10 years, Scanlon said.
Another half-million will be taken from a reserve account, he said.
The new complex, which will probably be finished in late 1997, is expected to include two courtrooms and a third multipurpose room that can be used for magistrate's court and small claims court.
The county's register of deeds, clerk of court, Tax Department, probation office and state highway patrol personnel also will move to the new facility.
The current courthouse has been in operation since the 1840s. One courtroom serves both District and Superior Court proceedings and numerous monthly county board meetings.
County administrative offices for years have overflowed into trailers lining the rear of the two-story brick building.
Construction is expected to begin in the next couple of months.
Also Tuesday, commissioners approved $718,007 for a new Emergency 911 system that can immediately determine a caller's phone number and address during an emergency.
It also will provide officials with a detailed map to better locate distressed callers and the closest police, fire and rescue units.
The total cost was about $50,000 less than the county had anticipated.
Money for the project will come from a $1 telephone service surcharge that customers began paying about a year ago.
The program is expected to cost the county $39,928 annually to operate.
``In two years, it should be up and running,'' Scanlon told the board.
In other board action:
Commissioners agreed 4 to 1 to join the Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce. Ernie Bowden of Carova dissented.
The county already belongs to the Outer Banks and Hampton Roads Chambers and is considering forming its own branch later this month.
Commissioners heard from Cablevision officials that the company and WAVY-TV 10 are still at an impasse.
The Federal Communications Commission is expected to rule by December on two legal briefs filed by Cablevision asking for permission to broadcast an NBC affiliate in North Carolina.
An update is being sent this week to affected Cablevision customers in northeastern North Carolina. by CNB