City of Marion antsy to get building in industrial park
Staff reporter
Marion City Council held contractor Mel Flaming's feet to the fire Monday during a special meeting.
The council was upset with the building contractor because a 125x80-foot steel building in the city's industrial park was to be completed by May 15, which isn't going to occur.
According to the lease-purchase contract between Tampa State Bank and Flaming Metal Systems for the city-owned building, concrete work was to be completed by March 15, the building was to be delivered to the site by April 1, with completion by mid-May.
Flaming told the council that dirt work will be started either this week or next. Concrete work will follow "fairly soon after," Flaming said. He explained that Hett Construction of Marion will do the concrete work and also was doing the school project.
"You're way off schedule," councilman Bill Holdeman said.
"That's true," Flaming said. He continued that the building will be delivered by the end of April.
"How come it's so late?" asked councilman Gene Winkler.
Flaming said he looked at his labor schedule and delayed delivery of the building because he didn't want the building to be delivered and not erected right away.
"We paid $13,000 up front for the concrete," Winkler said, to expedite the process because the city needed an absolute completion date in order to attract a new business.
Marion is one of three Kansas cities in the running for a call center.
"We were counting on this schedule," Winkler said. "Now we're looking at 30-60 days more. We could lose (the opportunity to get) this call center.
"If the building had been ordered on time, it could have been erected on time," Winkler said. "If we lose this contract (for the call center because the building isn't completed in time), it would be a tremendous loss to our community."
Flaming said the weather had dictated the schedule.
"The weather hasn't been bad," Winkler responded.
"I hate to interrupt you but the weather has affected us," Flaming said. Wind has an affect on construction as does frost.
"Construction is not an exact science," Flaming said.
Mayor Martin Tice asked Flaming for his "best estimate" for completion of the building.
Flaming said he would have to talk with his sub-contractors and would defer the question. He said he and others were finishing three other projects before starting the building in Marion.
One of the buildings is a seed plant at Cooperative Grain and Supply in Hillsboro, he said, adding the business was missing out on part of the seed season because of the construction.
"Was our building purchased before theirs?" Winkler asked. "No," Flaming answered.
Winkler said with the other projects to be completed before Marion's, it looked like the building won't be finished until the first of July.
Flaming said that was possible but he hadn't looked at a calendar to calculate when it might be completed.
City economic development director Jami Williams said a decision about the location of the call center was supposed to have been made at the end of March. The vendor assisting with the project said the building would have to be "up and running" within 90 days after the location was decided.
"We can't make it (in that time frame)," said councilman Stacey Collett.
Williams continued that the tenant would want to be in the building 30 days before opening for business to set up and train personnel. She said delays had already occurred with the project and maybe delays will continue.
Councilman Jerry Kline asked if there was any way to move Marion's project ahead of other projects. Flaming said his sub-contractors were aware of the situation and had contacted other sub-contractors to see if work could be completed any sooner.
Holdeman than asked if the slope of the metal roof could stand up to ice. Flaming responded that the slope of the roof didn't determine the snow load. The type of steel was used for the rating. The steel has a 20-pound per square foot snow load and 90 mph wind resistance, which are comparable to what other cities require.
"I understand construction," Collett said, "but we're really disappointed."
"The council is chagrined that you're not meeting the time line," Tice said. He then encouraged Flaming to move as quickly as possible and July 1 was not an acceptable completion date.
Discussion followed regarding the floor and location for plumbing. Tice asked Flaming to obtain a cost estimate from Hett Construction for a five-inch concrete floor and adequate plumbing for bathrooms and present the information at the next council meeting Monday.
Flaming said he would.
