County Supervisors move jail project to schematic phase
By Steve Van Kooten
The Crawford County Board of Supervisors had a full agenda as they convened at the Administrative Building in Prairie du Chien on Dec. 20. Along with a new appointment to the board and multiple resolutions for 2024, the Supervisors heard a truncated version of the replacement jail presentation given to the Finance Committee on Dec. 13.
Greg Callin, Vice President of Client Services for Kraemer Brothers; Scott Fettig, President of Klein McCarthy Architects; and Erik Daniels, the jail Project Manager, were among those in attendance to ask the Board of Supervisors to move the replacement jail project from the Concept Design and Budget phase to the Schematic Design and Budget phase.
“When you go to Schematic Design, Klein McCarthy will start to detail out the components and the building. Not just a floor plan, but we’ll actually see what the exterior elevations are going to be. Not just what they look like, but what they’re comprised of,” Callin said when talking to the Finance Committee on Dec. 13.
Callin said the project only had a “handful of drawings” at the moment and movement to the schematic phases would allow Kraemer Brothers to put together a more detailed budget. By the end of the Schematic Phase, Callin estimated Kraemer would be 10-15 percent finished with the drawings.
Callin also provided a report to both the Finance Committee and County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 13 and Dec. 20 respectively about the project’s parking options. He noted parking options were conceptually estimated to be around $800,000-$1 million in the budget’s site development.
Parking Options
The Jail Committee considered 4-5 parking options, according to Callin.
The first option the committee explored was the expansion of the existing parking lot on the Northeast end of the property. One possibility to expand parking stalls was the demolition of the existing sally port.
“That didn’t get us a lot of stalls for the cost of what that demolition would be,” Callin said. He stated there were mechanical systems in the basement that would have to be relocated to accommodate the increased parking, and it would’ve only added two stalls to the lot.
Other options included diagonal parking stalls on all four boundaries of the Crawford County Courthouse’s property. Callin said each street was considered, and, after discussions with the city, the Jail Committee recommended Park Street for additional parking stalls. The installation of diagonal stalls on Park Street could add up to 23 parking spaces.
“Park Street is an inordinately wide street,” Gary Koch, Finance Committee Chair, added at the Dec. 13 discussion with Callin. Nick Gilberts, Prairie du Chien’s Street Superintendent, verified the width of Park Street between Beaumont Road and Wacouta Avenue (the length of the street that borders the courthouse’s property) was 44 feet. Beaumont Road had a width of 38 feet while Park Street between Wacouta Avenue and Michigan Street was 36 feet. Notes provided from Klein McCarthy Architects stated the county would need to maintain 24-26 feet for street width if parking spaces were installed on any of the streets.
“You’re right,” Callin said, “as they designed that, there’s ample space to do that.” Callin also stated the additional stalls on Park Street were the most cost effective option explored.
A final possibility would entail the acquisition of five properties between the courthouse lot and the Crawford County Administrative Building. The cost was deemed expensive, but the committee stated it could be a possibility in the future. The acquisition and demolition of the properties for a parking lot would increase the county’s parking by 62 stalls.
“Site parking on jury trial days can be an issue,” Callin said, “but, for the most part, the street parking and parking lot available at the East side of the building is adequate to serve needs.”
Callin stated the Jail Committee recommended diagonal parking on Park Street be accounted for in the budget and consideration for a parking lot be made in the future. He stated the current budget numbers did not include any money allocated to the parking lot option.
Board Approval
The Board of Supervisors approved moving the replacement jail project to the Schematic Design phase after the presentation. The motion passed unanimously.
Koch gave a short presentation on financing options for the replacement jail project, which relayed information from the presentation given to the Finance Committee on Dec. 13.
After Koch reviewed the preliminary finance options for the Board of Supervisors. Roberta Fisher, County Clerk, asked if the Jail Committee had considered an open house or similar forum for the public to see the project’s progress.
“As we move forward with the Schematic Design phase, well have more details and, maybe, that’s the time when we have the Jail Committee discuss just how we want to do that,” Koch answered.
Other News
-The board approved Bruce Strnad to fill the term in District 1 left by Geri Kozelka’s exit from the County Board of Supervisors. Kozelka moved from the district. Strnad was appointed to the Finance, Rules and Procedures, Public Property, Audit and General Claims and Delinquent Tax and Equalization Committees.
-The board approved the establishment of an Administrative Coordinator/HR Ad Hoc Committee with seven members, including Gary Koch, Derek Flansburgh, Linda Munson, Dale McCullick, Jim Hackett, Heidi Becwar and Kyle Kozelka with Owen DuCharme as an alternate.
-Resolution 17-2023 for Highway Maintenance in 2024 was approved unanimously.
-Resolution 18-2023 for County Board Proceedings was moved back to Committee for amendment to add posting to the Crawford County Independent to the outlets that will receive posting from Crawford County.
-The board gave a commendation to Geri Kozelka for her service on the County Board of Supervisors and on committees during her tenure.
-Mark Gilberts gave a report from Laura Moore, Crawford County’s Veteran’s Service Officer, on the services available to Crawford County’s veteran population and to encourage those in need to seek services.
