Though Hailey officials are eager to put local builders and engineers to work on current and future public works projects in the city, state laws require that the work go out to open bids. Nevertheless, local firms have proven to be competitive enough to win most contracts awarded so far on construction of a new rodeo arena at the southern end of town.
"If I get another call about not hiring locally, I'm going to get ill," said Mayor Rick Davis at a City Council meeting on Monday, Sept. 13.
A $3.5 million bond was passed by Hailey voters in May to help pay for the new rodeo arena. One of the primary selling points of the bond initiative was that it would create local jobs.
About $400,000 has been spent to date on designs, site development, infrastructure and other expenses associated with the project. Only about $100,000 of that work has gone to companies from outside of the Wood River Valley, primarily for services that require specialized training, such as lead-paint inspection and bonding services.
The city hired Boise-based Kreizenbeck Constructors last spring to provide construction management expertise on the arena construction project. The company meets weekly with Public Works Director Tom Hellen to review decisions and update construction schedules.
Hellen said the rodeo arena construction project was broken down into 25 separate bid packages to keep them within the bidding range of small local companies, but there is nothing keeping companies from out of the area from bidding on the work.
"It's all controlled by state law at this point," Hellen said.
"Kreizenbeck has expressed a great deal of confidence in our local workforce," said City Administrator Heather Dawson. "But our local people need to put their best foot forward to get these jobs because the competition is going to be intense."
There are 61 construction companies of all sizes with public works licenses in the Wood River Valley. Several have already been put to work on the rodeo grounds, including Galena Engineers, Burks Excavation and Extreme Excavation.
The Ruscitto-Latham-Blanton architectural firm, several local artists, an advertiser and a project coordinator are also being paid for their work on the arena.
Hellen said larger bid packages will be advertised during the next three months, for footings and foundation work. Work will continue through the winter to meet a completion deadline of July 3, 2011, just in time for the next Sawtooth Rangers Days of the Old West Rodeo.
The Hailey Ice hockey rink and recreational center, a separately funded, private project on the rodeo grounds, is scheduled to be finished by fall 2011. Hailey-based Power Engineers is providing construction management for the project.
When awarding public works contracts, the city ranks firms based on established criteria that include overall capability, team approach, relevant experience and scheduling strategies.
Local firms Galena Engineers and TO Engineers were vying with outside firms for a preliminary design contract for a proposed $1 million redevelopment of River Street in Hailey last week.
The city is hoping to win a $500,000 Idaho Community Development Block Grant to begin the project, based on the preliminary design.
Though Galena Engineers has an office on River Street and ranked a close second to Harmony Design of Driggs, Idaho, Harmony was awarded the contract because the firm had already successfully obtained an identical grant for another town.
"This is only the first step," Dawson said. "If we get the grant, there will be many more opportunities for local contracts."
On Monday, Sept. 27, the City Council will hear from the Public Works Department about the proposed redevelopment of Woodside Boulevard.
Tony Evans: tevans@mtexpress.com
