County Board approves project change requests

The county building construction project is moving into its final phases, Architect John McNamara told Dodge County board members last week as he asked for approval of change order requests.
“Overall things are going well,” he said. Work has now moved into the last of three phases, remodeling of the old courthouse.
McNamara asked board members to approve Change Order #5, which includes 15 item changes. Some of the changes involved added costs, while others resulted in credits or no cost changes. The items added $34,587.25 to the cost of the project.
That amount, which will come out of the project contingency fund, brings the total construction cost to $8,468,661. Other costs for the project include $863,880 for project costs and $400,000 for furniture and equipment leaving a contingency fund of  $167,459.
Commissioners approved the change order.
They also denied a request from Community Celebration Church for a waiver of the fee for an after-the-fact variance.
The church’s contractor, A.B. Systems, Inc. started construction without the required septic and zoning permits and found out after that the construction does not meet the required setback from the right of way of 50 feet.
The church has now applied for an after the fact variance, which carries an application fee of $1,800. If the variance is granted, Zoning Administrator Melissa DeVetter said, an after the fact zoning permit fee, which is three times the normal zoning permit fee would also apply.
The higher fees were set to discourage people from constructing without permits and then asking for “forgiveness,” DeVetter added.
Gerald Niess of A.B. Systems sent the county a letter asking that the variance application fee be reduced from $1,800 to the normal $600 fee.
Pete Schuler from A.B. Systems attended last week’s meeting and told commissioners that after construction had started they discovered that the setback was off from two feet to two feet nine inches.
Schuler said part of the fault for starting construction early was with the county because the Zoning Department delayed issuing the septic and zoning permit. DeVetter said that the length of time it took to issue the permits was because the county was following its code requires a specific size septic system because of the seating capacity of the building. The alternative, she said, was for the applicant to use water meter usage for the determination.
The church chose the alternate method and that delayed the process, she said.
Schuler said the setback mistake was not intentional and that, in combination with the delay in the permit, is why they were asking for a fee waiver.
“In this opinion of this board member,” said Commissioner Steven Gray, “it is out of compliance.”
Commissioner Tim Tjosaas said his biggest concern was that the company did not have the proper permits when construction began.