County superviors reject bids on jail remodeling

Posted: Tue, Nov 13, 2018 2:16 PM

Winneshiek County Supervisors have unanimously voted to reject the two bids the county received on a proposed remodeling of the County Jail.

The proposed project calls for updating some security cameras and installing additional security cameras as part of an overall update of the jail's computer network. It would also include an update to the jail control room and the addition of video visitation capabilities.

The cost of the remodeling had been estimated at between $250,000 to $300,000. Instead, the lowest bid--from See Electric of Decorah--came in at $694,198 and a second bid came in at $792,000.

Sheriff Dan Marx told supervisors Tuesday he has spoken with the county's engineering consultants, Shive, Hattery, who believe contractors were scared away from bidding because the project would involve adding new computer equipment to the existing systems and, says Marx, "all the new equipment isn't the same as the old equipment."

However, the county's engineering consultants have agreed to rework the bid specifications in hopes of getting significantly lower bids.