The Ketchikan City Council meets Thursday night, and will consider moving forward with plans to demolish the old hospital, also called Bawden Street Apartments.
City Public Works Director Clif Allen asked the Council to provide direction on awarding the contract for demolition. The Council rejected all bids for the project back in March. Because of the busy summer tourist season, and unclear bidding documents, the project was delayed.
Allen asked the City Council to review revised contract award criteria, and give guidance on whether the contract should be awarded based on price, or a combination of price and qualifications.
The Council meeting also will review, and likely approve, a collective bargaining agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. The proposed three-year contract includes a 2-percent raise this year, no raise in 2013, and a 1-percent raise in 2014. Wages for some Water Division employees also will increase by about 1.5 percent.
The anticipated cost of the agreement is $615,000 over the three-year period.
The former collective bargaining agreement expired in December 2011. The new contract is retroactive to January 2012.
On Thursday, the City Council also will consider a request for proposals from outside firms on evaluating the feasibility of converting the old fire station to a district heating facility.
According to the city, the Public Works and Engineering Division staff is backlogged with work, which is why an outside architectural or engineering firm is needed to do the evaluation.
Converting the former Fire Station Number One to a centralized, downtown wood-pellet heating facility would require reviewing a number of code and safety issues.
The city either will consider an independent consultant to oversee the requests for proposals, or wait until Public Works has the resources.
Tonight’s City Council meeting begins at 7 p.m. in Council chambers. There is time for public comment at the start of the meeting. It will be televised where local programming is available.
