(KMZA)--Bids will be opened next month for the construction of a new 34-bed Nemaha County Jail.

Representatives of AHRS Construction, of Bern, met with the Nemaha County Commission on Monday to review the bid packets for the new jail construction.   AHRS is serving as construction manager at risk on the project.
   
Jerry Stallbaumer with AHRS said bid letting is set for September 16th, and he would then meet with the commission on September 22nd to give them a guaranteed maximum price for the project.   Based on that figure, commissioners will decide whether to proceed with the project.

Preliminary estimates range from $3.6 to $4.3 million for the 15,000-square-foot facility, which the commission plans to finance through existing capital outlay funds.

In other business, the commission approved awarding the bid for the plumbing materials for the construction of the new fire station in Corning to Reeves-Wiedeman Company in the amount of just over $12,000.

Bids for the materials for the facility were approved last month, but no bids were received for plumbing materials.  That item had to be re-bid. 

A nearly $300,00 KanStep grant was awarded in April for the purchase of the building materials, with volunteers to provide the “ sweat equity” for the construction of the building.

And the Commission voted to appropriate just over $7,000 from the parks and recreation fund and nearly $112 from the Broxterman Estate funds for the purchase of handicapped accessible playground equipment for the Sabetha Elementary School.