PORT ANGELES — The joint public safety facility project between the city of Port Angeles and Clallam County has taken another step forward.
During a joint special meeting Tuesday with the Clallam County Board of Commissioners, the Port Angeles City Council approved the design and construction agreement between the two entities and authorized City Manager Nathan West to sign on behalf of the city.
The county commissioners approved a similar motion, giving County Administrator Todd Mielke similar powers.
The targeted cost of the project is $22 million, and the forecasted cost of the project, according to Mielke’s presentation, is at $21,491,669.
“I’m excited to be at this point and I look forward to updates as we move forward,” Port Angeles Mayor Kate Dexter said following the votes.
County commissioner Mike French said the journey has been a long one and that the agreement between the city and the county shows the elected officials trust the team of Mielke as project director and city Director of Public Works & Utilities Scott Curtin as project manager.
“This agreement recognizes the transition of the project from the design phase to the construction phase,” according to the agenda memo. “It will enable the seamless completion of the design work and bid package while also establishing roles and accountability for the construction phase of the project. The agreement will carry forward the joint City/County relationship through construction and into initial occupancy.”
The votes came after a presentation updating the council members and commissioners on the project, which was at about 98 percent design complete as of the end of August, Mielke said.
The project has several different funding sources: $2 million from both the city and county for the design, $2,965,800 from FEMA, two separate state Department of Commerce grants in the amounts of $1.65 million and $5.7 million, $2 million from 9-1-1 reserves, another $3 million each from the city and county, and $1.9 million from the state Legislature’s 2025 session.
“We think there’s slightly more than $2 million available in contingencies,” Mielke said.
He said the team is working on bid documents and getting together the bid packet and added that contractors have been calling and asking when the project is going out to bid.
“We believe the environment right now is wonderful for going out to bid,” Mielke said. “We’re hoping for and anticipating a robust response.”
Curtin said the contract could be awarded as early as late October, with a possible groundbreaking in November.
“We do anticipate some work taking place between the holidays,” Curtin said.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the facility is anticipated to take place in April 2027.
________
Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by eamil at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.
