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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br />The available space and life cycle of the existing <br />Kittitas County Courthouse has been evaluated <br />frequently to find solutions for expansion and <br />to fix the infrastructure. Following space needs <br />assessment in 2016, DLR Group was hired to assist <br />in developing community outreach to explain the <br />issues and needs of the existing building. <br />Through 2021, DLR Group worked with the County's <br />committee for the courthouse support. The members <br />of the committee were selected by the County <br />and represented interested community members <br />and active citizens that understand the needs of <br />Kittitas County. Together, DLR Group provided an <br />assessment of multiple site options to provide a final <br />community support presentation that would be given <br />to groups and agencies throughout Kittitas County. <br />Upon completion of the presentation, the community <br />group in partnership with the Board of County <br />Commissioners determined that the bond measure <br />required a more detailed and thorough assessment <br />of the needs to be presented prior to the bond <br />measure being put onto the voting ballot. <br />DLR Group did the following further research to <br />provide a more comprehensive substantiation for the <br />bond measure. <br />DLR Group reviewed the previously executed <br />space needs assessment from 2016 to <br />ensure it is still in line with the needs of each <br />department. This assessment includes any <br />modifications that have developed over the <br />COVID pandemic of 2020-2022. DLR Group <br />spoke with all departments included to review <br />these allocations. <br />DLR Group expanded the space needs <br />assessment to include more government <br />departments that were not in the previous <br />assessment because the preferred option was <br />to move out of the downtown core which would <br />require more departments to be relocated to <br />the new location. <br />DLR Group did a space needs assessment for <br />the Sheriff Office and the County Jail because <br />it is anticipated a new jail will be required to <br />accommodate the final build out of the campus <br />for County services. This development was <br />included for future scoping but did not include <br />any building development or cost estimating. <br />4 NDLRGROUP <br />• DLR Group confirmed the parking counts <br />for each department were consistent with <br />the needs requested in the space needs <br />assessment. <br />• DLR Group developed a written description of a <br />typical courthouse and government department <br />building to provide as much detail as possible <br />in this stage for the cost estimators, Roen <br />Associates. <br />• Roen Associates provided a conceptual cost <br />estimate of anticipated cost that reflects the <br />inflation and cost overruns that have escalated <br />construction costs in 2021 - 2022 above <br />forecasted levels. This estimate is scalable for <br />the future based on known escalation rates <br />that occur to ensure the estimate may be <br />maintained until the project is complete. <br />• DLR Group provided two professional <br />renderings of the preferred option to reflect <br />the caliber and complexity of the project that <br />is estimated. This design reflects a feasible <br />solution that accommodates the space needs <br />and operational efficiencies on the selected <br />site. The building is not fully designed or <br />detailed and is just a conceptual visual of what <br />could be provided within the estimated funding. <br />This study determined that a bond measure should <br />be run for $132,000,000 to cover the project cost and <br />ensure the funding is appropriate for the current and <br />future needs. <br />NEXT STEPS <br />The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has <br />been given this report and regular updates on the <br />conceptual design direction. This information shall <br />be incorporated into the presentation to be given to <br />the community groups throughout the entire County <br />prior to the bond measure. <br />Once the BOCC has confirmed the direction and <br />scope to be included on the bond measure, the <br />measure will be put onto the voting ballot for the <br />citizens to move forward. <br />Following approval of the bond measure, it is <br />recommended that the County moves forward <br />with design and construction of the Courthouse <br />and Government Department Buildings to limit the <br />continual escalation. It is anticipated that following <br />final completion of the construction of these <br />buildings and site amenities, the Sheriff Building and <br />County Jail may be completed at the same site. <br />