INDIAN SHORES – Plans continue to move ahead on Indian Shores' proposed new municipal center.
The town’s building committee ranked responses from engineers and architects for the proposed three-story structure. The first meeting with an architectural firm was scheduled Nov. 18. Only one engineering firm, EMA Engineers, Inc., responded to the town’s request for quotes.
The building committee of four staff members and Councilor Bill Smith ranked the responses from 17 architecture firms. The first firm they will meet with is ARC3 Architecture of St. Petersburg.
The building committee looks at the firm’s qualifications, what the town wants and what the firm foresees is involved in the building project. If they come to an agreement, then they negotiate a price.
If an agreement is not reached with the first firm the process by state law is to go to the second firm on the town’s list said Finance Director Mary Karayianes. The complete list of architectural firms will be on the town’s Web site later this week.
Funding for the proposed $3.6 million building will primarily come from the Penny for Pinellas. The town is getting interest rates from banks because it plans to borrow about $1.5 million against projected Penny for Pinellas revenue for 2010 to 2020.
The town is also planning to borrow about $1 million from itself. The remaining $1.1 million will come from the current Penny for Pinellas fund balance.
“Basically the money is there to handle costs of building the building but we are borrowing money for cash flow purposes,” Smith said.
The primary goal is to build a facility up to the highest hurricane standards. The top floor would be the community center. The middle floor would house the library and government offices. The first buildable floor would have the police and building departments.
The new building would be located east of the present town hall’s location. It would look out over the Intracoastal Waterway. The current building site would most likely become additional parking for the new building.
Town officials will know more of the project time line after they select an architecture firm.
In other matters:
• The new parking meter equipment will be installed in Tiki Gardens in December.
• The Town Council approved the budgeted purchase of a new police car, totaling $26,603 with emergency equipment.
• The Town Council approved acceptance of a grant to purchase computers and software for the police department totaling around $60,000.
• The Town Council approved the extension of the employment contracts through Sept. 30, 2011 with Chief E.D. Williams, serving the positions of police chief and part-time town administrator. His salary remains the same, subject to adjustment each October like other department heads.
• The annual holiday lighted boat parade is Sunday, Dec. 20. Specators should gather in the Park Pavilion behind Town Hall for holiday music and refreshments and bring their own lawn chair or blanket. The festivities begin around 7:30 p.m. with decorated boats arriving around 8:30.
