Jackson reviews cost-cutting ideas for park bathroom project

A proposed Jackson City Park bathroom project, tabled by the city’s board of aldermen in June because of its proposed $329,000 cost, is under review, officials said during Jackson’s board of aldermen meeting Wednesday.

During the study session, city engineer Clint Brown discussed two comparisons: bidding out the work to contractors versus performing the work in-house and a prefabricated building cost versus a modular building cost.

The $329,000 price tabled in June included a modular building with stainless-steel fixtures.

The estimated new price for bidding out the project would be $270,000, Brown said. For the same project built by city workers, the cost would be closer to $245,000, Brown said, but city workers would be pulled off other jobs, wastewater management director Kent Peetz said.

City administrator Jim Roach said half the project’s cost is sewer and site work, which could be folded into a larger project to improve and expand an existing bathroom and sewer system in the park.

In June, the management of the park’s band shell had expressed interest in remodeling existing bathroom facilities there.

Peetz said he was exploring the possibility of creating a parkwide combined trunk line sewer system.

Board members expressed interest in exploring the bigger sewer idea before committing to a localized sewer system for the restroom project.

Roach said the city would report back as soon as possible.

During the regular meeting, final tasks were approved for the uptown historic lighting and event-power project. Nip Kelley Equipment of Cape Girardeau was paid $40,000.

Roach said the Jackson Police Department and the parks and recreation department have stepped up efforts to reduce ongoing vandalism in Jackson City Park near the Hubble Creek area where the low-water bridge and restroom are. Roach said the area has been barricaded after 8 p.m., and this has helped to reduce vandalism.

During the study session, Alderman Joe Bob Baker said the planning committee had several meetings about the proposed police/fire station complex and is planning to put a measure on the April ballot to secure funding.

If the design/build method is chosen for the project, Roach said, the city may consider hiring a retired engineer on a part-time basis to oversee the project.

“We’ve got a long way to go, have been working a long time, and we’re starting to see something in the form of a ballot issue,” Roach said.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

101 Court St., Jackson, Mo.

Jackson City Park, Jackson, Mo.