The Farmington Town Board voted Monday, Sept. 17, to accept a proposal from Martenson and Eisele Inc. to design a new town hall.
An architectural and engineering firm based in Menasha, Martenson and Eisele has offered to do the project for $33,150 in architectural design fees and $22,700 in engineering fees for a total cost of $55,850.
At a special meeting of electors in August, Farmington citizens voted in favor of purchasing 10.54 acres of land as a site for the new town hall. The town board purchased the land for a total of $52,700.
Town Chairman Dale Trinrud said the board selected Martenson and Eisele because the firm is familiar with the property. The firm has already created land elevations and water table drawings of the parcel for the prior owner, David Mesunas, who had been considering it for a residential development.
“I don’t see any need to be paying twice for the same thing,” Trinrud said, noting that the prior owner has given the town permission to use the existing drawings.
Jeffrey Schulz, an architect with Martenson and Eisele, said the firm will first meet with the town board to begin designing the new town hall. He said once a building footprint is determined, the engineers will begin drawing plans for a parking lot, water retention ponds and the septic system, while the architects will begin making conceptual drawings of the building.
The town board will present the initial drawings and concepts first to the Planning Commission, then to the general public for input.
“We will work with the board to set up a schedule,” Schulz said.
Trinrud asked what would happen if the town residents did not approve the project. Schulz said his firm would stop working on it and charge the board only for the work that had already been finished.
Bid documents may be released as early as February 2013, with construction of the new town hall to begin in the spring.