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MARCH 4, 2010 ISSUE

Work on Proposed Watauga County Recreation Center Moves Forward

Architect Selected, Funds for Prep Work Released

Story by Sam Calhoun

Commissioners Approve RFP for High School Realtor Services

During its March 1 regular meeting, the Watauga County Board of Commissioners approved a request for proposals (RFP) for realtor services for the sale of the old Watauga High School. The commissioners instructed county staff to draw up a RFP to find a commercial real estate listing agent for the property. According to Deputy County Manager Deron Geouque, the county will then review the proposals and make a determination if the approach will work.

“The hope is that [listing with a commercial agent] would give this more exposure, which would help with the sale of [the old high school],” explained Geouque.

A committee comprised of Watauga County commissioners Jim Deal and Billy Ralph Winkler, County Manager Rocky Nelson, Deputy County Manager Deron Geouque and Parks and Recreation Director Steven Poulos on March 1 selected PBC&L (Pearce Brinkley Cease & Lee) Architects in Asheville to draw up plans for a proposed county recreation center.

The commissioners instructed county staff and County Attorney Anthony di Santi to negotiate a contract with PBC&L for architectural services.
According to Geouque, the county will use money in the Capital Reserve earmarked for future parks and recreation matters to pay for the architectural services.

“If the project is determined not to be feasible, then the county would pay out for what architectural services have been rendered up until that point,” explained Geouque. “The key is that the county can stop the process at any time.”

If a contract cannot be negotiated with PBC&L, the commissioners will research using the next firm on its short list of potential architects, said Geouque.

Two weeks ago, the Watauga commissioners withdrew a request for $4,524,000 in Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds allocated to the county by the U.S. Department of the Treasury for the creation of a proposed 80,000-square-foot indoor county recreation center. The commissioners instead submitted a request for reallocated bonds in the amount of $12,000,000—the expected total cost of the project. The commissioners do not plan to apply any of the bond funds to architectural services related to the project.

During the commissioners’ March 1 meeting, the commissioners also instructed county staff to release $50,000 earmarked for future parks and recreation matters from the Capital Reserve. Nelson is now allowed to spend up to $50,000 on professional services related to the proposed recreation center.

“Professional services include any testing or surveying that need to be accomplished,” explained Geouque. “To avoid paying the architect for some of these services, the county can arrange for the services to be conducted ahead of time without the architect’s markup [on price]. It’s a cost-saving measure. If the architect does the services, we’ll be charged a fee.”