July 21, 2005
By DANNY HENLEY
Of the Courier-Post
Marion County 911 is another step closer to having a home of its own. Mike Hall, director of Marion County 911, has announced that an architectural firm has been hired to design the new building.
The Marion County Emergency Services Board has agreed to hire Poepping, Stone, Bach and Associates (PSBA) of Hannibal for the engineering and architectural design of the county’s new emergency dispatch communications center.
PSBA was one of eight firms interviewed for the project.
“We picked the one who we felt was the best firm,” said Hall.
While all the firms seeking the project were very sound, a number of factors worked in PSBA’s favor, according to Hall.
“There are benefits of doing business with a local firm,” he said.
The board did not want to hire a firm with no experience designing a 911 center.
“We didn’t want to be someone’s guinea pig,” said Hall. “A communications center has so many unique characteristics. It’s just not something a lot of architects design every day.”
Another major factor was that PSBA has an existing partnership with Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern, Inc., (HSMM) a Virginia-based firm that is recognized as one of the nation’s leaders when it comes to designing 911 communication centers.
“Because of Poepping’s relationship with Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern, it will be involved in the critique and review of our center’s plans,” said Hall. “This is the best of both worlds. We get a local firm, plus the resources to tap the experience of Steve Loomis (senior associate with HSMM) and his folks. This is almost too good to be true.”
PSBA’s fee will be figured as a percentage of the overall project cost. It is currently estimated that fee will be $65,000.
PSBA and a St. Louis firm were among the lowest bidders for the project. The decision to go with PSBA was based on its proximity to the project, which Hall said will lessen the architect’s expenses, and its connection with HSMM.
Plans are for a 5,000 square foot building to be constructed. It is estimated that the new structure will cost approximately $1 million.