Steamboat Pilot & Today

Hayden — A Grand Junction construction firm edged out two companies from the area to build the town of Hayden's new $500,000 Public Works Shop.
Hayden's Town Board of Trustees picked Triple J Construction Co., Thursday night to build the town's new facility, which will be located in the 1200 block of West Lincoln Ave.
The six-member board chose the Grand Junction firm over a Steamboat Springs firm, Colorado Professional Builders, and one from Hayden, Precision Excavating, because its bid was the lowest, town manager Rob Straebel said.
"Triple J has given us a reasonable bid," Straebel said.
Triple J bid $534,000 to build the new facility, but Straebel believes the town can work with the construction firm to get the price down to within the its budget of $500,000, he said.
The town is planning to work with the architect, Ron Szerlong, to cut the cost of the project.
"We believe we could get the project down to $500,000," he said.
The board approved of the project by a 5-1 vote.
"I would like to go ahead and start this project," said Trustee Chencho Salazar. "I'm scared that the price might go up, if we rebid the project."
Trustee Ken Gibbon voted against awarding the bid.
"There are going to be construction firms hungry for work in February," Gibbon said. "I believe we could get a lower price, if we rebid the project."
Gibbon is also concerned that if work on the 600,000-square-feet metal building begins this fall, concrete work could be damaged by cold weather.
The weather will decided whether the project begins this fall, Straebel said.
"If construction starts this fall, we could have it complete by April or May," he said.
Frank Fox, Hayden's director of public works, is eagerly awaiting the new facility.
"I'm excited," said Fox, who has been with the town for 15 years. "The new building will be a great benefit."
Fox has been pushing for a new shop for the past two years, he said.
"Right now, we have a little wooden building," Fox said. "It has three bays, and there's not enough room in the shop to store all of our equipment."
Fox has to store a street sweeper, dump truck, water truck and back-hoe outside because the current shop, 200 E. Lincoln Ave., is so small.
"The new building will have seven bays," he said. "There will be enough room in the building for all of the equipment."
The new building will be especially a benefit to Fox and his four employees, during the winter months.
"Whenever a truck breaks down or we have to repair equipment, we have to work on it outside," he said. "With the new building we will never have to work outside in the snow."
Fox is not concerned about whether the the shop is completed next spring, as long as it is built in a year from now, he said.
Half of the project will be funded by a $250,000 Energy Impact Grant that the town was awarded from the Department of Local Affairs. The other half of the project will be funded by the town, Straebel said.

To reach Gary E. Salazar call 871-4205 or e-mail gsalazar@amigo.net