Jackson County Highway Department Facilities Study

Facility Study & Proposal
Jackson County Highway Department
SEH No.
December 22, 2009

Bob Sworski
Principal / Sr. Project Manager
Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc.
Table of Contents
Sect. Topic Page

# #
Excerpts from Jackson County’s Mission Statement …………………………………………………….. 1-1
Section 1: Executive Summary

1.1 Purpose of this report …………………………………………………………………………. 1-4
1.2 Purpose of JCHD and its facilities ………………………………………………………......... 1-4
1.3 Summary of current conditions ……………………………………………….......................... 1-4
1.4 Recommended solution: Build new facilities …………………………………………………. 1-5
1.5 Feasible to build and operate at current sites …………………………………………….......... 1-6
1.6 Continue to operate from two locations ………………………………………………………. 1-6
1.7 Advantages and disadvantages of a phased building program ………………………………... 1-7
1.8 Potential re-use of existing facilities ………………………………………………………….. 1-7
1.9 Ready to move forward ……………………………………………………………………….. 1-7
Section 2: Current Conditions

2.1 Main JCHD facility in Jackson ......................................................................................... 2-2
2.1.1 General description ..................................................................................................... 2-2
2.1.2 Topography, soil, and drainage ................................................................................... 2-3
2.1.3 Construction history .................................................................................................... 2-3
2.2 Facility-wide conditions in Jackson .................................................................................. 2-4
2.2.1 Gross area ................................................................................................................... 2-4
2.2.2 Water service .............................................................................................................. 2-4
2.2.3 Oil usage ..................................................................................................................... 2-4
2.2.4 Gas heat....................................................................................................................... 2-4
2.2.5 Chemical storage......................................................................................................... 2-4
2.2.6 Salt storage .................................................................................................................. 2-4
2.2.7 Office building ............................................................................................................ 2-5
2.2.8 Out-buildings .............................................................................................................. 2-6
2.2.9 Building interiors ........................................................................................................ 2-8
2.2.10 General non-compliance with ADA ........................................................................... 2-9
2.2.11 Dangerously low headroom in tunnel ......................................................................... 2-9
2.2.12 Office building utilities ............................................................................................. 2-10
2.2.13 Shop / maintenance buildings ................................................................................... 2-10
2.2.14 Passage between main shop and sign shop ............................................................... 2-14
2.2.15 Sign shop and wood shop ......................................................................................... 2-14
2.2.16 Vehicle storage ― 2 buildings .................................................................................. 2-15
2.2.17 Storage tunnels .......................................................................................................... 2-15
2.3 Cramped facilities reduce service to citizens ................................................................ 2-16
2.3.1 Trucks are “stacked” due to lack of space ................................................................ 2-16
2.3.1 Fire in Wisconsin county garage led to major loss ................................................... 2-17
2.3.2 Limited space directly reduces service to citizens .................................................... 2-17
2.4 Lakefield facility ............................................................................................................... 2-17
2.4.1 General description ................................................................................................... 2-17
2.4.2 Gross area ................................................................................................................. 2-18
2.4.3 Small Lakefield building........................................................................................... 2-18
2.4.4 Large Lakefield building........................................................................................... 2-18
2.4.5 Inadequate salt/sand storage at Lakefield site ........................................................... 2-20
Section 3: Cost of Renovating Existing Facilities

3.1 Overall low quality of facilities ............................................................................................ 3-2
3.2 Jackson site and infrastructure ― issues related to code, ADA, and other regulations ....... 3-3
3.3 Jackson site and infrastructure ― functional / efficiency issues .......................................... 3-3
3.4 Jackson office building ― issues related to code, ADA, and other regulations .................. 3-4
3.5 Jackson office building ― functional / efficiency issues ..................................................... 3-4
3.6 Jackson outbuildings ― functional / efficiency issues......................................................... 3-5
3.7 Jackson outbuildings ― issues related to code, ADA, and other regulations ...................... 3-6
3.8 Jackson main shops ― functional / efficiency issues .......................................................... 3-8
3.9 Jackson salt / sand storage ― to comply with DNR regulation ......................................... 3-10
3.10 Lakefield code issues.......................................................................................................... 3-11
3.11 Lakefield functional / efficiency issues .............................................................................. 3-11
3.12 Lakefield small building issues .......................................................................................... 3-11
3.13 Lakefield large building issues ........................................................................................... 3-12
3.14 Lakefield HVAC, plumbing and electrical issues .............................................................. 3-12
3.15 Recommended solution: Build new facilities ..................................................................... 3-13
Section 4: Plow Routing and Facility Siting Study

4.1 Executive summary of the plow routing and facility siting study .................................. 4-2
4.1.1 Existing operations .............................................................................................................. 4-2
4.1.2 Analysis of existing operations ........................................................................................... 4-2
4.1.3 Review of 8 scenarios ......................................................................................................... 4-3
4.1.4 Recommendations ............................................................................................................... 4-3
4.2 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 4-4
4.2.1 Purpose ................................................................................................................................ 4-4
4.3 Study strategy ..................................................................................................................... 4-4
4.3.1 Evaluated 8 scenarios .......................................................................................................... 4-4
4.3.2 Formula for analyzing plow route efficiency ...................................................................... 4-5
4.3.3 Vehicle speed ...................................................................................................................... 4-5
4.3.4 Hourly cost of labor and equipment .................................................................................... 4-6
4.3.5 Data collection .................................................................................................................... 4-6
4.3.6 Improvements in efficiency ................................................................................................. 4-7
4.4 Existing conditions ............................................................................................................. 4-7
4.4.1 Topography ......................................................................................................................... 4-7
4.4.2 Limited shop space reduces plowing efficiency .................................................................. 4-7
4.4.3 Mileage summary ................................................................................................................ 4-7
4.5 Efficiency calculations........................................................................................................ 4-8
4.6 Recommendations regarding the 8 scenarios................................................................... 4-8
4.6.1 Do nothing (i.e., leave conditions as they are) .................................................................... 4-8
4.6.2 Combine into a single shop in Jackson ............................................................................... 4-8
4.6.3 Combine into a single centrally located shop ...................................................................... 4-8
4.6.4 Main shop in Lakefield; satellite shop in Jackson ............................................................... 4-9
4.6.5 Combine Jackson shop with City Public Works at the industrial park site ........................ 4-9
4.6.6 Retain current two-shop configuration, with more vehicles in Lakefield ........................ 4-10
4.6.7 Add a facility at Heron Lake ............................................................................................. 4-11
4.6.8 Shared-use opportunities ................................................................................................... 4-11
4.7 Summary of recommendations ....................................................................................... 4-12
Section 5: Conclusions and Recommendations

5.1 Conclusions and recommendations .................................................................................. 5-2
5.1.1 Feasible to build new facility & simultaneously operate at current sites ................... 5-2
5.1.2 Build new facilities .................................................................................................... 5-2
5.1.3 Advantages and disadvantages of a phased building program ................................... 5-2
5.1.4 Re-use of existing facilities ........................................................................................ 5-2
5.1.5 Ready to move forward .............................................................................................. 5-3
Appendix A: Drawings of Existing and Proposed Facilities

Appendix B: Article from Chippewa Herald: “Fire Destroys County Highway Building”
Appendix C: Comparable Experience of Hutchinson Area Transportation Services Facility
Appendix D: Plow Route Study: Detailed Data
Appendix E: Which Building Type is Right for JCHD?
Mission
Statement
JCHD Facilities ― Section 1: Executive Summary
Excerpts from Jackson County’s Mission Statement
Service
Jackson County believes that superior service that responds to the needs of the citizens should be the standard for
county government in all departments.
Economic growth & stability

Jackson County has a strong desire to have continued economic growth and stability of new and existing business
and will assist in this by:
• Assisting economic development as requested.
• Providing an infrastructure that enhances development of physical and human resources.
Infrastructure
Jackson County has a strong commitment to provide a safe and effective roadway, water, waste and
telecommunication systems for the citizens of the County. To accomplish this, the County will operate, maintain
and preserve existing infrastructure to the highest possible level, make improvements that enhance the system, and
implement additional systems as the need arises.
Safety
Jackson County will promote the highest possible level of safety and security for all residents by:
• Providing adequately staffed, well-trained, and well-equipped facilities for emergency responses.
• Providing needed emergency and ongoing support services.
• Promoting citizen participation with law enforcement.
1-1
Executive
Summary
JCHD Facilities
Section 1
Executive Summary
Contents of this section
1.1 Purpose of this report ………………………………………………………….. 1-4

1.2 Purpose of JCHD and its facilities …………………………………………….. 1-4
1.3 Summary of current conditions ………………………………………………... 1-4
1.4 Recommended solution: Build new facilities ………………………………….. 1-5
1.5 Feasible to build and operate at current sites ………………………………….. 1-6
1.6 Continue to operate from two locations ……………………………………….. 1-6
1.7 Advantages and disadvantages of a phased building program ………………… 1-7
1.8 Potential re-use of existing facilities …………………………………………… 1-7
1.9 Ready to move forward ………………………………………………………… 1-7
1-3

1.1 Purpose of this report

In the summer of 2005, Jackson County requested proposals for an in-depth study of
Purpose of this report
SEH was hired to review
its highway department facilities. Short Elliot Hendrickson (SEH) was selected for
and comment on: the work and was asked to review:
• Previous studies • Previous studies.
• Existing JCHD sites
• All buildings and • Existing highway department sites.
facilities
• Storage spaces • All buildings and other facilities.
• Plow routes and facility
siting. • All spaces allocated for storage and maintenance of equipment.

• Plow routes and their relationship to the location of Jackson County Highway
Department facilities.
This report is the culmination of that review.

1.2 Purpose of JCHD and its facilities

JCHD’s purpose Jackson County Highway Department (JCHD)’s main purpose is to maintain and
Maintain and increase increase public safety by:
public safety via: • Maintaining existing county roads and right-of-way with county-owned
• Maintain county roads equipment.
• Engineering & CSAHs, • Providing engineering and inspection for the reconstruction of county state aid
CRs, and bridges. highways (CSAH), county roads (CR), and bridges.
• Removing snow and • Removing snow and ice from CSAH’s and CR’s.
ice. • Providing engineering and administration in the reconstruction and maintenance
• Reconstructing and of the county-owned ditch system.
maintaining roads and • Maintaining and repairing highway department equipment and sheriff’s
ditches. department patrol vehicles.
• Maintaining highway
department and
sheriff’s dept. vehicles. 1.3 Summary of current conditions

Summary of current The current Jackson County Highway Department (JCHD) facilities in Jackson and
conditions Lakefield are in many ways:
JCHD facilities are:
• Unsound. • Structurally unsound.
• Obsolete. • Functionally obsolete.
• Worn out.
• Unsafe. • Worn out.
• Energy inefficient. • Unsafe for workers and visitors.
• Non‐compliant with
applicable laws and • Wasteful of energy.
codes in many ways.

• Non-compliant with the Uniform Building Code.
• Non-compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

1-4
As a direct result, JCHD is • Non-compliant with OSHA.

prevented from serving
citizens’ needs in a way • Non-compliant with applicable pollution control requirements.
that delivers a minimally As a direct result, JCHD is prevented from serving the needs of Jackson County in
reasonable return on their ways that deliver a reasonable return on citizens’ tax investment. Though JCHD is
tax investment. served by a dedicated and knowledgeable staff, it must also be acknowledged that
these conditions increase the difficulty of attracting qualified workers and reduce

worker morale.
This report presents a plan for solving these problems.

Recommended solution: 1.4 Recommended solution: Build new facilities
Build new facilities ― with
SEH recommends that Jackson County and JCHD construct new facilities. We
possible re‐use of some
components of existing
make this recommendation because little of the existing buildings and associated
facilities. facilities are worth salvaging for JCHD use (however, see below for possible re-use
for other purposes). The table below summarizes the probable costs to remodel the
existing sites and facilities to comply with applicable codes and regulations and to
provide adequate service (as detailed in Section 3):

Jackson facility
To meet code requirements $2,090,934

To improve functionality/efficiency $3,305,437

Lakefield facility

To meet code requirements $143,926

To improve functionality/efficiency $86,974

Subtotal: $5,627,271
Total estimated cost to
Plus 10% contingency $562,727
upgrade existing facilities:
$6,189,998 Estimated total cost to renovate $6,420,898.00

If completed, these renovations would increase the size of all JCHD facilities from
the current 35,696 sq. ft. to about 60,390 sq. ft. Thus, the total cost per square foot of
finished space would be:

$6,189,998 ÷ 60,390 sq. ft. = $102.50 per square foot

In comparison, if new facilities sized and designed to serve the County’s needs for at
least 20 years ― but likely to last at least 40 years ― were constructed in Jackson
and Lakefield, those facilities would comprise about 65,125 sq. ft. We calculate the
cost of these new facilities (in 2009 dollars) to be:
$6,968,375 ÷ 65,125 sq. ft = $107 per square foot.

1-5

Like dealing with your car
The question of whether to upgrade existing facilities is like dealing with a car that
after a serious accident: At a has been in a serious accident. At a certain point, the vehicle is not worth repairing.
certain point, it is wasteful Building new facilities has several overwhelming benefits to the citizen of Jackson
to repair and better to County:
replace the car. • Tremendous savings over time because new buildings will last about twice as
long and require less overall maintenance than a renovated building.

New facilities would cost • Cost saving on energy (see Appendix E for details on this issue).
about the same as • Greater efficiency in work performed by JCHD staff.
renovated facilities, but • More accurate inventory control of fluids, parts, and materials.
new facilities would have
advantages: • Because the new facilities will allow all plows to be left attached to trucks and
• Reduced cost over time stored indoors, Jackson County roads will be cleared of snow and ice more
quickly.
• Reduced maintenance
• Save on energy
• Efficient work place Therefore, we strongly recommend building new JCHD facilities.
• Easier building
maintenance
• Save on inventory
control
• More efficient plowing
operation

Due to purchase of 30 acres 1.5 Feasible to build and operate at current sites
next to Jackson site ― and
JCHD has acquired 30 acres of land adjacent to the existing Jackson site. In addition,
availability of land near
Lakefield ― it is feasible to
the city of Lakefield owns 120 acres of land east of Lakefield (1 mile east of
simultaneously build and Highway 86). Ten acres of this land can be made available for construction of a
continue JCHD operations at highway maintenance facility that would serve both the county and the city.
both current sites. Therefore, new facilities can be built in both cities while JCHD continues to operate
from its existing facilities.

Continue to operate from 1.6 Continue to operate from two locations
two facilities with main An additional issue is whether to continue with two locations or to combine JCHD
facility in Jackson and facilities into a single site. With the acquisition of the additional 30 acres in Jackson
satellite facility in Lakefield. and the already implemented increases in plow route efficiency discussed in Section
4 of this report, we conclude that no additional efficiency or cost savings will be
achieved by combining into a single facility. Therefore, we recommend continuing
to operate from the two existing locations.

1-6

1.7 Advantages and disadvantages of a phased
Phased building program
has advantages and
building program
disadvantages. A phased building program can be employed in constructing JCHD facilities; such a
program can be defined during the design phase. This would have the advantage of
spreading out the financial impact on the County. However, a phased building
program also has two major disadvantages: 1) Does not allow the County to take
advantage of purchasing building materials in the highest possible volume. 2)
Material, transportation, and labor costs will be higher due to inflation.

1.8 Potential re-use of existing facilities

After new JCHD facilities are built, some components of the existing facilities may
Some components of the
existing JCHD facilities may
be re-used by the County or re-used by other County departments. Plow routes and
be re‐used or sold. facility re-siting will be important factors in determining what is worth keeping and
what should be demolished. Some existing facilities ― notably, the office building
― might be re-used as facilities for other County or private activities.

1.9 Ready to move forward
SEH is ready to help design With the completion of these facility and plow route studies, SEH stands ready to
new facilities. help the County to refine plans for improving JCHD facilities in whichever
configuration and sequence the County chooses.
1-7
Current
Conditions
JCHD Facilities ― Section 2: Description of Current Condition
JCHD Facilities
Section 2
Description of Current Conditions
2.1 Main JCHD facility in Jackson ....................................................................................................... 2-2

2.1.1 General description ................................................................................................................. 2-2
2.1.2 Topography, soil, and drainage ............................................................................................... 2-3
2.1.3 Construction history ................................................................................................................ 2-3
2.2 Facility-wide conditions in Jackson ................................................................................................ 2-4
2.2.1 Gross area................................................................................................................................ 2-4
2.2.2 Water service .......................................................................................................................... 2-4
2.2.3 Oil usage ................................................................................................................................. 2-4
2.2.4 Gas heat ................................................................................................................................... 2-4
2.2.5 Chemical storage ..................................................................................................................... 2-4
2.2.6 Salt storage .............................................................................................................................. 2-4
2.2.7 Office building ........................................................................................................................ 2-5
2.2.8 Out-buildings .......................................................................................................................... 2-6
2.2.9 Building interiors .................................................................................................................... 2-8
2.2.10 General non-compliance with ADA ....................................................................................... 2-9
2.2.11 Dangerously low headroom in tunnel ..................................................................................... 2-9
2.2.12 Office building utilities ......................................................................................................... 2-10
2.2.13 Shop / maintenance buildings ............................................................................................... 2-10
2.2.14 Passage between main shop and sign shop ........................................................................... 2-14
2.2.15 Sign shop and wood shop...................................................................................................... 2-14
2.2.16 Vehicle storage ― 2 buildings .............................................................................................. 2-15
2.2.17 Storage tunnels ...................................................................................................................... 2-15
2.3 Cramped facilities reduce service to citizens ............................................................................... 2-16
2.3.1 Trucks are “stacked” due to lack of space ............................................................................ 2-16
2.3.2 Fire in Wisconsin county garage led to major loss ............................................................... 2-17
2.3.3 Limited space directly reduces service to citizens ................................................................ 2-17
2.4 Lakefield facility ........................................................................................................................... 2-17
2.4.1 General description ............................................................................................................... 2-17
2.4.2 Gross area.............................................................................................................................. 2-18
2.4.3 Small Lakefield building....................................................................................................... 2-18
2.4.4 Large Lakefield building....................................................................................................... 2-18
2.4.5 Inadequate salt/sand storage at Lakefield site ....................................................................... 2-20
2-1

2.1 Main JCHD facility in Jackson

2.1.1 General description
Main JCHD facility in The current main JCHD facility in Jackson is composed of several buildings
Jackson on approximately 10 acres (Figure 1, next page). Access to the site is from
• About 10 acres. CSAH 34 to the north and a township road to the west.
• Access from north and
west. Note: In 2008, JCHD purchased an additional 30 acres adjacent to the
• Due to extremely original 10-acre site. These 30 acres are not included in this
limited storage space,
description of current conditions.
some equipment,
including plows, must
Because of extremely limited space in the buildings at JCHD’s Jackson site,
be stored outdoors,
much of the equipment and materials required to maintain the county’s
causing accelerated
deterioration of
infrastructure must be stored either outdoors at the Jackson site or in a cold
equipment. storage building at the fairgrounds. At the Jackson site, plows must be
detached from plow trucks and stored outside in all kinds of weather. At the
fairgrounds, in order to get self-propelled snow-blowers, a self-propelled
broom, and other equipment out of the building, it is necessary to bring
plows and hand shovels to the fairgrounds to clear the driveway.
Furthermore, motor graders, which are also used for plowing, are kept in
cold storage at the Jackson site.
This situation causes two problems. First, temperature fluctuation and

precipitation greatly accelerate equipment deterioration; hydraulic lines are
especially susceptible to damage. Second, outside storage greatly decreases
operational efficiency because, every time plowing is required, accumulated
snow and ice must be removed from plows and the plows must be attached to
trucks. Then, at the end of every shift, the plows must be removed from the
trucks so the trucks can be parked in heated storage. All of this greatly
reduces the payback Jackson County residents receive for their tax dollars.
2-2

Figure 1: Site plan of main JCHD facilities in Jackson ― see Appendix A
for large-scale version that includes the recently purchased adjacent 30 acres.

2.1.2 Topography, soil, and drainage

Topography, soil, drainage The Jackson site is virtually flat and appears to have been a former wetland,
• Filled swamp‐land. which was filled for construction over a number of years. As a result, there
is a high water table, and groundwater permeates the soil. After heavy rains,
• Groundwater hundreds of gallons of water must be discharged through a sump pump from
permeates soil, the vehicle hoist pit in the vehicle maintenance building. With the current
requiring extensive drainage system, that water eventually drains into the Des Moines River.
pumping. This violates several building code and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
regulations. The surface drains east/southeast. Impervious surfaces include
• Pumped water drains to a partially paved lot, building roofs, sidewalk, and overhead door aprons.
Des Moines River,
which violates building There are few trees on the site. This, along with the northwest-to-southeast
code and PCA orientation of the original buildings, was intended to promote the drying of
regulations. hemp and to remove equipment exhaust. The site contains no steep terrain.
As a result, rain and snow accumulation are about equal in all parts of the
• Few trees. site and there is little problem with pooling of spring snow melt or summer
rain.
• Windy, level site.
2.1.3 Construction history

Construction history The seven buildings on the site were constructed at various times from the
• Seven buildings. 1940’s to the early 1960’s. The earliest buildings were used as a plant for
hemp processing to make rope used during World War II. Later buildings
• Earliest were built to and additions were developed as part of JCHD and the state highway
process hemp rope department when they began operation at the site. The site plan in Appendix
during WWII. A identifies the individual uses of these structures.

2-3

2.2 Facility-wide conditions in Jackson

Facility‐wide conditions in 2.2.1 Gross area
Jackson The combined gross area of the footprints of all occupied buildings at the
Jackson facility is about 31,000 square feet.
• Combined footprints of
all buildings are about
31,000 gross sq. ft.
2.2.2 Water service
The water main serving the Jackson site is an 8-inch pipe. Water supplied to
• 8‐inch water main. the office building is softened.

2.2.3 Oil usage

• Not enough engine oil About twelve 55-gallon barrels of oil are used per year as truck engine
is used to warrant using lubricant. This is not enough to allow us to consider burning waste oil as a
waste oil for heat. supplemental heat system for the facility.

2.2.4 Gas heat

• Facilities are heated The site is supplied with natural gas; all heat is provided by natural gas unit
with gas. heaters or furnaces.

2.2.5 Chemical storage

Chemical storage Chemicals, mostly pesticides and weed/grass killer, are stored in multiple
Dangerous, non‐code‐ locations throughout the facility. Some of these chemicals are stored in the
compliant chemical storage. unventilated tunnels during winter ― a violation of the building code.
Others are stored in the semi-heated upper level of the shop building in
storage rooms that do not comply with the building code.

2.2.6 Salt storage

Salt storage The salt sheds are composed of green treated lumber, which is heavily
Sheds are improperly weathered and worn; rotting has occurred around the lower halves of the
constructed, which has buildings. Because the buildings sit too low in relationship to the
reduced their useful life. surrounding elevation, their useful life has been greatly reduced.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, because the salt shed cannot hold enough
salt/sand mix for the county’s needs, salt/sand mix is also stored outdoors in
an unrestricted pile. As a result, salt in this pile is leached out and
contaminates the adjacent field. This situation is out of compliance with
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency regulations.
2-4
Figure 2: Uncontained salt/sand storage in Jackson allows salt to contaminate

adjacent field.

2.2.7 Office building

Jackson office building Most of the main office building in Jackson (Figure 3) is slab-on-grade
• Mostly slab‐on‐grade construction. However, part of the building has a basement, which houses
with partial basement. utilities. An access tunnel runs from the basement toward the south end of
the building. The exterior of the building is brick masonry, characteristic of
• Typical mid‐20th design and construction in the early 1960s. Portions of the building,
century architecture. including fascias and soffits, are painted/stained wood. The roof is covered
with asphalt and rock.
• Brick masonry exterior.

• Wood trim.

• Asphalt/rock roof.

Figure 3: JCHD main office building in Jackson.
2-5

2.2.8 Out-buildings

Jackson out‐buildings The out-buildings at the Jackson site are constructed of non-standard-size
• Constructed of non‐ concrete block with varying roof structures (Figure 4):
standard‐size concrete
blocks.

• Major structural
distress throughout.

• Varying roof structures
― some with rubber
membrane over rotten
structure and still leaky.

• Painted exterior.

• Some block partly
disintegrated.
Figure 4: JCHD Jackson facility buildings.
• No insulation.
The exterior of the concrete block is painted. Because the exteriors of many
• About half of mortar is of the concrete blocks are almost completely disintegrated, it is apparent that
missing. the concrete walls contain no insulation. All of these single-block-thick
buildings show signs of structural distress and wear, including differential
• Some mortar was settling, cracking, and disintegration of blocks. Furthermore, about half of
replaced with caulk as a all mortar in the buildings is in bad condition. As stop-gap measures, some
stop‐gap measure. blocks have been tuck-pointed with caulk instead of mortar, and buckling
block walls have been reinforced with strap steel (Figures 5, 6, and 7).
Figure 5: Disintegrated blocks on exterior of vehicle storage building at Jackson

facility reveal that there is no insulation in the walls.
2-6
Figure 6: Structural cracking and spalling in the Jackson storage building.
Figure 7: As stop-gap measures, deteriorated buildings are reinforced with steel

strapping and tuck-pointed with caulk.
The roofs of the concrete buildings are covered with sheet steel or rubber
membrane. The rubber membrane roofs have been installed as a replacement
for leaky asphalt roofs. A roofing contractor has informed JCHD that it
would be impossible to repair the rubber membrane in many areas because
the underlying roof boards are rotten.
2-7

2.2.9 Building interiors

Building interiors Overall, the Jackson office building interior is in fair condition. Carpets and
• Office building in fair paint show wear. The ceiling systems are composed mostly of acoustical tile
condition. in a 12x12-inch spline system. Recently, water leaking through the roof has
damaged ceiling tile in one room.
• Out‐buildings in
generally poor The interiors of the out-buildings are mostly painted white and generally in
condition. poor condition. The maintenance foreman/mechanic’s office (Figure 8) and
employee break room have a wood panel finish.
• Break room and
restrooms do not meet The existing break room and restroom facilities do not meet the requirements
either ADA or UBC. of either the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) or the Uniform
Building Code (UBC). Furthermore, ADA requires spaces such as these on
all floor levels if not initially offered on the main floor.
Figure 8: Maintenance foreman/mechanic’s office.
2-8

2.2.10 General non-compliance with ADA
In general, the buildings do
not comply with ADA. For physically challenged people ― and especially those who use
wheelchairs ― access to the Jackson buildings is generally limited. Thus,
these buildings do not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA). For example, neither the office building entrance nor its restroom
facilities is compliant.
Likewise, virtually all aspects of the maintenance buildings are non-

compliant with ADA requirements, including:
• Wash area
• Parts room
• Tempered storage area
• Break room
• Door widths
• Door hardware
• Thresholds
• Vertical access
• Restrooms
These conditions make it virtually impossible to hire physically challenged

people. In addition, these conditions prevent physically challenged residents,
vendors, and sales people from doing business with JCHD.

2.2.11 Dangerously low headroom in tunnel

Dangerously low ceiling The long tunnel storage area (originally used to dry hemp) does not meet the
height in tunnel storage building code because of its dangerous 6-foot interior height (Figure 9).
area is a violation of UBC. Several employees have suffered head injuries in this area.

Figure 9: Six-foot-high tunnel storage area in Jackson.
2-9

Office building utilities 2.2.12 Office building utilities

Heat
2.2.12.1 Heating and water heating
• Old heating system has
no make‐up air (code The office building is heated by a furnace located in the partial basement.
violation) and should be The furnace has no make-up air system, which is a code violation. Heated
replaced. air is distributed by the original under-floor duct system, much of which has
rusted. A water heater is also located in the basement; its age is unknown.
Plumbing Exhaust flues for the furnace and water heater extend into the brick chimney,
• Pipes embedded in which is lined. All of this equipment is at the end of its useful life and
concrete floor, making should be replaced.
them inaccessible.
• No insulation. 2.2.12.2 Plumbing
• Sump pump Plumbing pipes for the office building are embedded in the concrete floor
arrangement non‐ and are therefore inaccessible. None of the water piping is insulated. The
compliant with code. office building has two restrooms equipped with flush tank toilets and sink

units. The sump pump in the basement receives flow from both the drain tile
Electrical
and the floor drain, an arrangement that does not comply with the building
• Current lighting fixtures code.
incompatible with
computer work.
2.2.12.3 Electrical
• No surge protection.
• No fire alarm. In the office building, the original light fixtures were replaced with T-8
• Under‐sized service. lamps and electronic ballasts around 1999. Though this improved energy
efficiency, these fixtures contribute to eye fatigue with computer work.
Other deficiencies include:
• No surge protectors for lighting system.
• No fire alarm system.
• Under-sized electric service.

2.2.12.4 Fire protection

There is no fire protection in the office building.
Shop / maintenance
buildings 2.2.13 Shop / maintenance buildings

Heating 2.2.13.1 Heating
• Gas‐fired unit heaters
Gas-fired unit heaters, controlled by a wall-mounted thermostat, are the
are worn out; should be
primary heat source in the shop. These unit heaters appear to be at the end of
replaced by radiant
heaters.
their life cycle. There is a single exhaust fan controlled by a switch (no
automatic operation); the exhaust outlet is positioned high on the wall.
• Single exhaust fan.
There is no provision for bringing in make-up air. It appears that an exhaust
• No make‐up air. fan on the roof does not work. Radiant heat in the maintenance shop and in
• Non‐functional roof the vehicle storage area would be a better choice because it provides more
exhaust fan. even and efficient warmth that heats up objects and keeps heat near the floor

where the employees are.
2-10

Shop / maintenance 2.2.13.2 Vehicle / equipment maintenance space
buildings (continued)
Vehicle/equipment maintenance space is severely undersized and inefficient.
Efficiency is greatly reduced At times, up to 3 vehicles must be moved multiple times to best position a
due to severely limited piece of equipment for maintenance. “Pull points” on the floor would make
vehicle/equipment repairs quicker, but there is no room for a chain-with-pull-points system in
maintenance space. the current space. Also, because the area is so small, when trucks must turn
tightly to be positioned, axles and tires are subjected to extra wear.
Furthermore, according to Minnesota state regulations, each driver must
conduct a “walk-around” inspection of any commercial vehicle before
operating it ― even if a different driver has just finished using that vehicle.
The cramped quarters make these inspections difficult. All of these factors
reduce efficiency and increase the cost of annual equipment maintenance.

2.2.13.3 Overhead hoists
Overhead hoists non‐
compliant with OSHA The overhead hoists do not comply with OSHA standards. If an engine is
No system for efficient removed from a grader, the grader must then be rolled away from the engine
engine removal. by six employees, each pushing on one of the six tires. This situation
exposes the County to potential workman’s compensation claims.

Compressed air system is 2.2.13.4 Compressed air
adequate. Compressed air for the shop is produced by a 10-horsepower compressor

located in the passage between the main shop and the sign shop. The

compressor is adequate for current usage. It could be moved to a different

location. Additional air drops should be added.

Lack of vehicle wash bay 2.2.13.5 Lack of wash bay
produces uncontrolled Because there is no separate vehicle wash bay, vehicles are washed either in
humidity and overspray, the maintenance area or outdoors. When vehicles are washed in the
which degrades work areas maintenance area, massive amounts of uncontrolled humidity and overspray
and damages equipment contribute to degradation of tools, equipment, and electrical hardware. There
and tools. are times in the winter when the mechanics cannot see through the humidity
in the building. When vehicles are washed outside in the winter, a
considerable amount of time must then be spent to remove ice from the
vehicles.

Inconvenient and wasteful
2.2.13.6 Vehicle lubrication
lube system.
The current vehicle lubrication system is extremely time-consuming and
inefficient. Furthermore, there is a considerable chance that waste oil will be
dumped on the floor, into trench drains, etc.

No dedicated parts storage 2.2.13.7 Parts storage
facility yields waste and lost
time. Parts are stored wherever space can be found; there is no dedicated parts
room. This reduces the efficiency of maintenance due to under-stocking of
parts and lost time looking for parts in multiple locations.

2-11
Shop/maintenance building
(continued) 2.2.13.8 Welding
The welding facility is severely undersized for the types of welding needed,
Welding which greatly hampers efficiency and productivity. There is a welding hood
• Severely undersized that exhausts through the roof (Figure 10), which, like the heating system,
and ill‐equipped. has no dedicated make-up air inlet.

• Welding hood has no
make‐up air and is too
small for most required
work.

• No place to store stock.

Figure 10: Welding hood in the shop area.
Furthermore, the hood is much too small for many of the required welding
tasks. There is no place to store metal stock, which means there is a safety
hazard when metals must be loaded and unloaded. Each time it is necessary
to move, fabricate, and/or cut steel, machines must be moved. Up to 6
people (in lieu of a forklift) are used to do this ― a very inefficient use of
people’s time. A dedicated welding area and a welding “boom” that can be
moved to capture exhaust at the source would be preferred.
2-12
(continued) 2.2.13.9 Plumbing

• Due to the high water table, after heavy rains, ground water collects
Plumbing in the vehicle hoist pit. Duplex sump pumps there deliver water to a
• Water collects in hoist trench drain in the floor. The trench drain runs outside into a ditch
pit and is pumped along the east end of the property; eventually, the water drains into
directly to Des Moines the Des Moines River. This arrangement violates several building
River, violating code code and PCA regulations.
and PCA regulations.
• Water supply lines to the building run overhead, which is a violation
• Overhead water lines of the UBC.
violate UBC.
• There is no designated wash bay; instead there is a portable gas-fired
• No wash bay, so wash pressure washer. This means that, when a vehicle is washed, either
water and detergent water and detergent splatter around the shop or vehicles must be
splatter everywhere. washed outdoors in all types of weather.

• No dryer vent. • Laundry facilities are composed of a washer, dryer, and wall-
mounted laundry sink in the shop area. There is no dryer vent.
• Emergency eye‐wash
has no hot water. An emergency eye-wash stand near the laundry tub is not supplied with
heated water.

2.2.13.10 Electrical
Electrical
Placement of many • In a vehicle maintenance shop, the National Electric Code (NEC)
electrical connections requires any pit, depression or a level up to 18 inches above finished
violates code. floor (AFF) level to be labeled as a hazardous area if constant air
Under‐sized service. changes are not performed. This also applies to areas adjacent to the
Emergency generator is work area if air changes or positive pressure ventilation is not
undersized and under‐ performed. Since this building has none of these systems, many
wired. electrical devices within 18 inches of the floor are in code violation.
• No surge protection. NEC also requires that any conduits passing through this area must
• Outdated lighting. be continuous metal raceway from above 18 inches AFF to 24 inches
• No fire protection. AFF. There are violations of these requirements in the maintenance
Chemicals stored in a room shop, wood shop, and vehicle storage area.
that does not comply with
building code. • Electric service is under-sized.

• Load-handling capabilities and power-transfer wiring of the existing
emergency power generator do not meet current code requirements.
Furthermore, the generator is at the end of its useful life.
• The building is not safeguarded with a surge protection system.
• Some lighting is outdated and inefficient.
2-13
(continued) 2.2.13.11 Fire protection

• No fire protection. There is no fire protection in the shop/maintenance areas.

• Chemical storage 2.2.13.12 Chemical storage
violates building code. Most chemicals are stored in a 4 foot-6-inch-high room accessed by a short
door, which violates the building code.

Passage between main
2.2.14 Passage between main shop and sign shop
shop and sign shop
• No make‐up air for 2.2.14.1 Mechanical
generator or air The emergency generator and air compressor are located in the passage.
compressor. While there is adequate exhaust for the generator, neither the generator nor
the air compressor is provided with make-up air. No floor drain is available
• No floor drain. for use in bleeding the compressed-air pipes.

• No fire protection. 2.2.14.2 Fire protection

• No walkway There is no fire protection in the passage.
demarcation in
violation of OSHA. 2.2.14.3 Walkway demarcation
In violation of OSHA requirements, the passage are has no floor

demarcations to separate the walkway from storage areas.

2.2.15 Sign shop and wood shop
Sign / wood shops
• Sign shop is too small. 2.2.15.1 Inadequate sign shop
The sign shop suffers from a severe lack of space, which reduces efficiency.
• Both shops have unit Signs are constructed in an undersized carpenter shop with insufficient
heater with no make‐up layout space. The sign truck and sign posts must be stored far from the shop.
air or exhaust outlet.

2.2.15.2 Mechanical
• No floor drain.
The sign shop has a through-the-wall air conditioner. There is also a unit
heater, which has neither an exhaust outlet nor a source of make-up air.
Similarly, the wood shop has a gas-fired unit heater with no provision for
exhaust or make-up air. Radiant heat would be the better choice.
There is no floor drain.
2-14
Sign / wood shops
(continued) 2.2.15.3 Mechanical

• Not enough air drops. There are not enough compressed air drops in the wood shop.

• No fire protection. 2.2.15.4 Fire protection
There is no fire protection in this area.

Vehicle storage buildings
2.2.16 Vehicle storage ― 2 buildings
• No heat or ventilation.

2.2.16.1 Mechanical
• Dirt floors with no There is no heat or ventilation in these two areas.
drainage.
Existing dirt floors have no floor or trench drains. There are very few water
• Minimal hose hose connections and compressed air drops.
connections and air
drops. 2.2.16.2 Electrical
• Inadequate electrical
service and lighting. Electric service and lighting are inadequate.

• No fire protection. 2.2.16.3 Fire Protection
There is no fire protection in these areas.

Storage tunnels 2.2.17 Storage tunnels
• Inadequate space.
2.2.17.1 General
• No ventilation or heat. Storage space is inadequate for the department’s current and future needs.

• Tunnels fill with diesel 2.2.17.2 Mechanical
exhaust and smoke
when vehicles run in No ventilation or heat is provided in these long storage tunnels. The tunnels
cold storage area. fill with diesel exhaust and smoke when vehicles are running in the cold
storage area.
• No plumbing.
There is no plumbing in these tunnels.
• Inadequate electric
service and lighting. 2.2.17.3 Electrical

Electric service and lighting are inadequate.
• No fire protection.

2.2.17.4 Fire Protection
There is no fire protection in these tunnels.
2-15

Cramped facilities reduce
2.3 Cramped facilities reduce service to
service and are dangerous citizens
• Trucks are “stacked” in
garages, requiring 2.3.1 Trucks are “stacked” due to lack of space
constant time‐
consuming jockeying. As shown in the Lakefield photo in Figure 11, to fit JCHD’s 14 trucks into
the available garage space in Jackson and Lakefield, the trucks must be
• If there is ever a fire in “stacked” ― i.e., parked so close together that most trucks do not have direct
a garage, trucks may be access to a garage door. As a result, constant time-consuming “jockeying” is
lost if there is no way to needed to get the trucks out of the garage. If one vehicle does not start, it
get them out ― or the holds up all trucks that are wedged in behind it.
building will be
destroyed trying to get Furthermore, sometimes a truck stacked in the back of a garage needs to go
them out ― or both out first ― or is the only truck that needs to go out ― due to localized
may be lost. differences in snowfall or drifting in a particular area. In such a case, several
trucks must be unstacked ― and once the required truck is out, the driver
then needs to restack the other trucks. This wastes employee time and
significantly reduces service to county residents.
Figure 11: “Stacked” trucks at the Lakefield facility.
Clearly, these facility limitations translate directly into reduced service. In

addition, these circumstances represent a clear and present danger. If either
facility has a major fire, all vehicles might be lost simply due to the fact that
it is impossible to get the trucks out. Each truck is valued at approximately
$200,000.00.
Note: Due to the above conditions, in case of fire, staff members are under
orders to drive the trucks directly through the walls to get the trucks
out of the buildings.
Note: The structural systems in the garage buildings in Jackson and

Lakefield preclude the addition of more doors.
2-16

In Chippewa Falls, 2.3.2 Fire in Wisconsin county garage led to major loss
Wisconsin, a highway
department garage and the In Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, the hypothetical situation described above
trucks were destroyed; the was not hypothetical. On September 10, 2000, a fire in the Chippewa
county lost millions of County highway department garage destroyed several trucks and other
dollars. equipment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. (Appendix B contains an
article from the Chippewa Herald with details.)

2.3.3 Limited space directly reduces service to citizens
Limited space reduces
service Due to limited space, the plows themselves must be stored outdoors,
disconnected from the trucks. This situation reduces service to Jackson
• Every time plowing is County citizens in several ways:
required, since plows
are stored outside and Example 1:
detached from trucks, 3 Every time the county roads need plowing, a minimum of 15 minutes is
¾ unit‐hours are required to attach each vehicle to its plow. Therefore:
wasted attaching 15 units x 15 minutes = 3 ¾ hours
plows. 3 ¾ hours x 25 mph plow speed = 93 ¾ miles of road not plowed

• Every time plowing is Example 2:
required, dropping At the end of each work day, dropping the plows and re-stacking the trucks
plows and re‐stacking in the garages requires an additional 10 minutes per truck, minimum.
trucks wastes 2 ½ unit‐ Therefore:
hours.
15 units x 10 minutes = 2 ½ hours
• Each time a plow needs 2 ½ hours x 25 mph plow speed = 62 ½ miles of road not plowed
a new cutting edge,
more than an hour is Example 3:
wasted. When a plow needs a new cutting edge, the operator must wait until there is

enough space in the Jackson shop, drive the plow truck in, and then wait
about 1 hour for the truck and plow to thaw. Then the operator must lie on
the floor to install the new cutting edge.
Lakefield facility
• In a protected built‐up 2.4 Lakefield facility
area.

• Good site drainage. 2.4.1 General site description
Compared with the Jackson site, the 32,915 sq. ft. Lakefield site is in a more
• Two buildings for protected, built-up area, surrounded by homes and businesses. The site is
vehicle storage and surrounded by trees on three sides. The site slopes uniformly to the street.
maintenance. There are two buildings in the Lakefield facility. Their primary purposes are
vehicle storage and maintenance.
• Existing site is too small
for current and future However, like the existing Jackson site, the Lakefield site is not large enough
operations. A site east to efficiently handle existing and future operations. The city of Lakefield
of Lakefield can be
owns 120 acres of land on the east side of Lakefield (1mile east of Highway
available for a new
86). 10 acres of this land can be made available for construction of a
JCHD Lakefield facility.
2-17
highway maintenance facility that would serve both the county and the city.
While such a facility is being built, JCHD can continue to operate from the
existing Lakefield facility.

2.4.2 Gross enclosed area

The combined gross area of the footprints of the buildings at the Lakefield
Small Lakefield building facility is about 4,970 square feet.
• Stud‐wall construction.
2.4.3 Small Lakefield building
• Visible Styrofoam on
interior and unrated The small building, whose main purpose is vehicle storage, is of stud-wall
ceiling system violate frame construction. The building exterior (walls and roof) is covered with
building code. steel panels. The building has a lean-to shed addition (Figure 12). There is
no interior wall covering; i.e., the studs are visible. Expanded Styrofoam is
• Impossible to install exposed on the building interior, which is a building code violation. The
automatic garage door code states that Styrofoam must be covered with a non-combustible material.
openers. The ceiling has an unrated ceiling panel system, which is another code
violation.
• Heating system at end
of its life. The garage doors are hand-operated. Due to the building’s configuration,
there is no room for overhead garage door openers.
The building’s heating system is old and near the end of its useful life.

Large Lakefield building
• Used for both storage Figure 12: Small vehicle storage building in Lakefield.
and maintenance.
2.4.4 Large Lakefield building
• Pre‐engineered steel The large Lakefield building, used for vehicle maintenance and storage, has
frame.
a pre-engineered steel frame. Like the smaller building, its exterior is

covered with steel paneling (Figure 13).
• Exterior covered with
steel paneling.

• Interior has metal wall
system from floor to 8‐
2-18
foot height.

• Spray‐foam insulation
above wall system.

• Roof near end of its
useful life.

Figure 13: Large building in Lakefield.
In the interior of the large building, there is an 8-foot-high pre-engineered

metal interior wall system around the entire perimeter. Above that, the walls
and ceiling have sprayed-on insulation (Figure 14). The roof has been
repaired twice before ― and is now near the end of its useful life.

Large Lakefield building
(continued)

• No ventilation system.

• One water hose
connection.

• Water service is under‐
sized.

• Plumbing not compliant
with building code.

• No break room.

Figure 14: Interior of large building in Lakefield: steel panel wall system with

sprayed insulation above.

2.4.4.1 Current status of large building
In the large Lakefield building:
• There is no ventilation system.

• Gas-fired unit heaters are the main heat source.

2-19
• There is a single water hose connection.

• A compressor is installed and equipped with several air drops.

• Water is provided by the Lakefield water service through a ¾-inch

pipe that is typical for domestic water service but under-sized for

this industrial application.

• A trench drain with a sand trap runs parallel with the overhead door.

• A walled-off area contains a bathroom, a water softener, and an
emergency eyewash station.

• Bathroom sink and faucets do not comply with ADA or building
code.
• There is no break room.
• The lighting is inadequate, as shown in Figure 14 (previous page).

2.4.5 Inadequate salt/sand storage at Lakefield site

Salt/sand storage is Salt storage is not in accordance with applicable PCA functional and
uncontained, a violation of environmental requirements. The effects of leaching salt are evident in the
PCA requirements. Leached disintegration of the catch basin and concrete curb adjacent to the facility
salt damages concrete curb (Figure 15). The salt also has prematurely degraded the salt storage facility.
and catch basin and the salt
storage facility.
Figure 15: Disintegration of curb, driveway, and catch basin in Lakefield caused by
uncontained salt storage.
2-20
Cost to
Renovate
JCHD Facilities ― Section 3: Estimated Cost to Renovate Existing Facilities
JCHD Facilities
Section 3
Estimated Cost to Renovate Existing Facilities
Contents
3.1 Overall low quality of facilities ...................................................................................................... 3-2

3.2 Jackson site and infrastructure ― issues related to code, ADA, and other regulations ................. 3-3
3.3 Jackson site and infrastructure ― functional / efficiency issues .................................................... 3-3
3.4 Jackson office building ― issues related to code, ADA, and other regulations............................. 3-4
3.5 Jackson office building ― functional / efficiency issues ............................................................... 3-4
3.6 Jackson outbuildings ― functional / efficiency issues ................................................................... 3-5
3.7 Jackson outbuildings ― issues related to code, ADA, and other regulations ................................ 3-6
3.8 Jackson main shops ― functional / efficiency issues ..................................................................... 3-8
3.9 Jackson salt / sand storage ― to comply with DNR regulation ................................................... 3-10
3.10 Lakefield code issues .................................................................................................................... 3-11
3.11 Lakefield functional / efficiency issues ........................................................................................ 3-11
3.12 Lakefield small building issues .................................................................................................... 3-11
3.13 Lakefield large building issues ..................................................................................................... 3-12
3.14 Lakefield HVAC, plumbing and electrical issues ........................................................................ 3-12
3.15 Recommended solution: Build new facilities ............................................................................... 3-13
3-1
Overall low quality of 3.1 Overall low quality of facilities

existing facilities.
Overall, the quality of space in all JCHD work areas is poor ― at both the
• Overall quality of all Jackson and Lakefield sites. As described in detail in Section 2 of this
work areas at both sites report, work spaces are small and cramped. Workers are severely hampered
is poor. by mechanical and electrical systems that are inadequate and numerously
• Many violations of non-compliant with applicable building codes, ADA, OSHA, and pollution
building code, ADA, control requirements. Furthermore, absent and undersized mechanical and
OSHA, and pollution electrical systems pose direct hazards to worker life, safety, and welfare.
control requirements. Finally, we believe these issues have an ongoing negative impact on
• Result of these employee morale.
problems is that JCHD is It is important to point out that the overall result of this situation is a reduced
prevented from level of service for the citizens of Jackson County.
providing a high level of Following is a detailed listing of what it would cost to reverse all of these
service to citizens of problems by renovating the existing facilities. All costs are calculated for
Jackson County. existing conditions in Spring 2009 and assume use of materials with a

minimum 80-year life cycle.
Solving the problems by
renovating existing facilities
is not advised. We strongly Important: The information in this section on the cost of renovating
advise building new existing facilities is presented not with the intention of
facilities. recommending such work ― but to demonstrate that
building new facilities is a more reasonable response to the
existing situation.
As shown on the last page of this section, the cost per square foot
to renovate would be almost identical to the cost per square foot
to build new facilities. However, the proposed new facilities will
both improve service and reduce cost to Jackson County citizens
because new facilities will:
• Provide greater efficiency and cost savings in terms of parts
and material storage.
• Provide greater efficiency in vehicle traffic.
• Last approximately twice as long as renovated facilities.
Finally, we wish to point out that the many improvements shown

in this section will cost a great deal more than the listed dollar
amounts if renovation is done piecemeal.
3-2
3.2 Jackson site and infrastructure ―

issues related to code, ADA, and other regulations
Estimated cost to address Issue Estimated Cost
Jackson site infrastructure
code issues: Construct a storm-water pond. $38,640
At fueling area, construct new concrete $132,480

$201,990
pavement, aprons for catch basins, and
overhead canopy.
Provide emergency shutoff for gas-pumping $2,070

station.
The site currently has 120/240 volt, single- $28,800

phase electric service. In addition, there is a
manufactured 120/240 volt, 3-phase system on
site. The closest connection to 3-phase power
is approximately 1-1/2 miles away from the
site. Due to existing and recommended 3-phase
equipment upgrades, a new 120/208-volt, 3-
phase service would be needed.
Estimated total cost $201,990
3.3 Jackson site and infrastructure ―

functional / efficiency issues
Jackson functional /
efficiency issues: Provide additional site lighting to illuminate $20,700
gas-pumping area and general parking and
$27,600 maneuvering areas.
Provide Category 5 wiring between buildings $6,900

for computer/communications networking.
3-3
3.4 Jackson office building ―

Estimated cost to address
Jackson office building ADA issues related to code, ADA, and other regulations
and building code issues:
Issue Estimated Cost
$49,042 Door hardware upgrades (ADA). $4,780
Restroom reconstruction (ADA). $8,280
Provide make-up air to furnace and restroom $2,484

exhaust system (Code).
Provide new sewage ejector for basement $8,004

sanitary to separate sanitary and drain tile water
(Code).
Revise return air to return in each room vs. one $7,314

central return that uses the basement as a return
plenum (Code).
Install new high-efficiency furnace and $18,180

condensing unit. Replace rusty ductwork in the
basement (Code).
Note: No electrical code issues were identified.
Cost to address functional
3.5 Jackson office building ―
issues in office building: functional / efficiency issues
$66,361 Issue Estimated Cost
To address eye-strain issues, install $13,800
direct/indirect style of fixture (preferred) or a
parabolic fixture.
Upgrade electrical service due to new 3-phase $10,350
service.
Install TVSS electrical surge protection. $6,210
Add either fire alarm system with smoke $8,000
monitoring capability or sprinkler alarm with
annunciation.
Connect and/or reconnect new and replaced $4,140
mechanical equipment.
12-inch square spline ceiling system would be $23,861
replaced with a conventional 2-foot square
acoustical tile system that is compatible with the
upgrades suggested for HVAC/electrical.
3-4
3.6 Jackson outbuildings ―

Jackson outbuilding
functional / efficiency To save energy costs and prevent further $710,010
issues: water/ice attacks on the exterior of the
maintenance and materials storage buildings,
$873,138 add an exterior insulation finish system ― or
insulation/furring strip system covered with
metal panels (EIFS) (28,980 sq. ft. @ $24.50 /
sq. ft.).
Install new double-pane, thermally broken (i.e., $44,160

with insulation between interior and exterior
framing members), translucent window panels.
As needed in each case, upgrade or install new $6,624

weather stripping around all service doors and
overhead doors.
Add approximately 4” of additional insulation $22,080

in ceilings over heated spaces.
Concrete block repair, including tuck-pointing. $20,700
Build code-required chemical storage room. $45,000

(500 sq. ft. @ $90 / sq. ft.).
Existing upper level spaces, served by stairs, $24,564

can only be used for mechanical systems or for
storage of tires, etc. If these spaces continue to
be used, provide three new sets of stairs.
Estimated total cost $873,138.00
3-5

Main shop requires high and low exhaust activated by $62,100
Jackson outbuilding code
carbon monoxide/nitrogen dioxide detectors. Heated
issues:
outside air to make up for this exhaust is also required.
Typical for this area would be a gas fired 100% outside
$1,549,902
air makeup unit. (Code required)
Vehicle storage building would be similar to above with $32,100

an option to use an outside air intake louver with unit
heaters to heat up the outside air. This is a less expensive
option than a makeup air unit. (Code required)
Seasonal storage requires exhaust but would not require $11,730

heated make-up air. (Code required)
Wood shop would require similar system to what is $35,000

recommended for vehicle storage building, except that
the wood shop system should include a dust storage
system.
To bring break room and restroom facilities up to $325,680

ADA and building code, build a 2,000 sq. ft. addition
with more rest rooms as well as ADA-approved
fixtures and toilet partitions.
The break room area would need a high efficiency $13,730
furnace with outside air provided for the personnel load
and positive pressure for this area to the shop. (Code
requires outside air)
Install lever-type door handles/locksets (ADA). $4,140

The former hemp drying tunnels, now used as cold $974,160
storage of equipment and materials, should be abandoned
and replaced by code-compliant storage space.
Replacement space is estimated to be 10,000 sq. ft.
Connecting tunnel would require ventilation. The link $16,710

between the main shop and the sign shop would need a
furnace. The heated air could be used to supply make-up
air to the compressor and could also supply heated make-
up air to the main shop as part of the system to remove
exhaust gas from the shop. The two long tunnels would
require exhaust systems activated by CO detectors. Heat
in these tunnels is optional.
Continued on next page
3-6

(continued)
Outside air makeup is required for the welding hood $7,484

exhaust. (Code required)
Trench drain and sump drain would need to be separated. $62,100

Hoist sump water must dump out to grade. Trench drain
must go to a flammable waste trap and then to sanitary
disposal. (Code required)
Provide hot and cold water and a mixing valve for $4,968
tempered water for the emergency eye wash. This would
require a new water heater. (Code required)
Estimated total cost (previous page + this page) $1,549,902
3-7
3.8 Jackson main shops ―

Estimated cost to address Construct new roof on maintenance building. $515,638
Jackson main shops
functional / efficiency To meet OSHA standard, install overhead bridge $158,700
issues: crane.
$2,338,338 To increase maintenance efficiency and reduce $276,960

wear on vehicles and tires, remodel existing
vehicle maintenance bays. Construct additional
overhead doors to provide direct access from
outside into repair bays. One door and bay should
be wide enough to allow at least one truck with
snowplow attached to be serviced in the garage.
Install 26’ x 60’ dedicated moisture-controlled $315,800

vehicle wash bay.
Automated wash system in the wash bay. $140,000
Install an efficient, more accurately dispensed and $78,200

monitored lube system.
Construct 500 sq. ft. parts room. $69,000
Modify existing welding equipment and construct $165,600

at least 900 additional sq. ft. to provide a modern
welding operation.
Construct additional 960 sq. ft. of covered, but $66,240

open, cold storage for sanding boxes, etc.
Remodel maintenance foreman’s office area, $37,260

including addition of a separate 300 sq. ft.
library/computer area for mechanics.
Revise ductwork as required to supply all rooms. $10,350
Install fire protection system. $34,500

monitoring capability or sprinkler alarm with
annunciation.
Continued on next page
3-8
3.8 Jackson main shops ―

functional / efficiency issues (continued)
Construct additional 1,150 sq. ft. for the sign $149,750

shop to increase storage space and efficiency.
Install radiant heat in the main shop, vehicle $120,060

storage areas, and wood shop.
Vent the power washer out through the wall. $2,070
Add water hose connections, compressed air $13,800

drops, reels, etc. to provide convenience and
short distance hose connections.
Correct non-NEC-compliant placement of $13,800

electrical connections and conduits.
Replace the existing electric power generator $85,000

with a new generator and associated transfer
switches that can handle the entire site.
Upgrade electrical service due to new 3-phase $27,600

requirements.
Add Transient Voltage Surge Suppression $6,210

System (TVSS) to main service.
Connect / reconnect new and replaced electro- $34,500

mechanical equipment.
Replace existing incandescent lighting fixtures $9,300

with modern system; update exit and emergency
lighting.
Estimated total cost $462,090.00

(previous page + this page)
3-9
3.9 Jackson salt / sand storage ―

to comply with DNR regulation
Estimated total cost to Issue Estimated Cost
address Jackson salt / sand
storage issues: To comply with requirements of the $290,000
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency,
$290,000 construct new salt / sand storage facility
with openings facing south or east. Facility
should be approximately 2 feet above grade
with a 3% to 5% slope around three sides
and a paved interior floor sloped from back
to front at same slope.
3-10
Lakefield facility

3.10 Lakefield code issues

Estimated cost to address Cover interior walls, ceiling, and all $37,536
Lakefield code issues: exposed foam insulation with metal liner
panels.
$143,926
Construct a code compliant rest room and $46,920
break room.
Install ventilation with make-up air and $23,460
exhaust activated by CO/NO2 detectors.

Install new water heater and mixing valve $6,004
for emergency eyewash.
Install waste trap for flammables in trench $12,006

drain.

Add fire protection system. $12,000

monitoring capability or sprinkler alarm

with annunciation.
3.11 Lakefield functional / efficiency issues

Lakefield functional /
efficiency issues: Install additional outdoor site lighting $5,244
$41,124 Re-pave site to improve drainage $35,880

3.12 Lakefield small building issues
Lakefield small building Issue Estimated Cost
issues:
Adjust all door weather stripping $828
$4,312
Install modern interior lighting $3,484
3-11
3.13 Lakefield large building issues

Estimated total cost to
address Lakefield large Repair damaged door jambs and walls. $10,350
building issues:
Install new roof panels. $25,668
$36,018

3.14 Lakefield HVAC, plumbing and electrical issues

Connect / reconnect new and replaced $5,520
Lakefield HVAC, plumbing,
electro-mechanical equipment.
and electrical issues:
$5,520
3-12
3.15 Recommended solution: Build new facilities

The table below combines all costs listed in this section to renovate the
Estimated grand total to existing facilities to comply with applicable codes and regulations and
renovate existing facilities: provide adequate service:
$6,189,998.
Jackson facility

To meet code requirements $2,090,934
To improve functionality/efficiency $3,305,437
Lakefield facility
To meet code requirements $143,926
To improve functionality/efficiency $86,974
Subtotal: $5,627,271
Plus 10% contingency $562,727
Estimated total cost to renovate $6,189,998
If completed, these renovations would increase the size of all JCHD facilities
from the current 35,696 sq. ft. to about 60,390 sq. ft. Thus, the total cost per
square foot of finished space (in 2009 dollars) would be:
$6,189,998 ÷ 60,390 sq. ft. = $102.50 per square foot
In comparison, based on historical costs, if new facilities sized and designed

to serve the County’s needs for at least 20 years ― but likely to last at least
40 years ― were constructed in Jackson and Lakefield, those facilities would
comprise about 65,125 sq. ft. We calculate the cost of these new facilities
(in 2009 dollars) to be:
$6,968,375 ÷ 65,125 sq. ft = $107 per square foot.
We believe the Jackson County Board will agree that these figures lead to
only one reasonable conclusion: New JCHD facilities should be built. In
addition, new facilities will be much more energy efficient, more efficient
for workers, and easier to maintain. And because the new facilities will
allow all plows to be left attached to trucks and stored indoors, Jackson
County roads will be cleared of snow and ice more quickly.
In view of the above information, we strongly

recommend building new JCHD facilities.
3-13
Plow Route
Study
JCHD Facilities
Section 4
Plow Routing and Facility Siting Study
4.1 Executive summary of the plow routing and facility siting study................................................. 4-2
4.1.1 Existing operations............................................................................................................. 4-2
4.1.2 Analysis of existing operations .......................................................................................... 4-2
4.1.3 Review of 8 scenarios ........................................................................................................ 4-3
4.1.4 Recommendations .............................................................................................................. 4-3
4.2 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 4-4
4.2.1 Purpose ............................................................................................................................... 4-4
4.3 Study strategy................................................................................................................................. 4-4
4.3.1 Evaluated 8 scenarios ......................................................................................................... 4-4
4.3.2 Formula for analyzing plow route efficiency ..................................................................... 4-5
4.3.3 Vehicle speed ..................................................................................................................... 4-5
4.3.4 Hourly cost of labor and equipment ................................................................................... 4-6
4.3.5 Data collection ................................................................................................................... 4-6
4.3.6 Improvements in efficiency ............................................................................................... 4-7
4.4 Existing conditions......................................................................................................................... 4-7
4.4.1 Topography ........................................................................................................................ 4-7
4.4.2 Limited shop space reduces plowing efficiency ................................................................ 4-7
4.4.3 Mileage summary ............................................................................................................... 4-7
4.5 Efficiency calculations ................................................................................................................... 4-8
4.6 Recommendations regarding the 8 scenarios ................................................................................. 4-8
4.6.1 Do nothing (i.e., leave conditions as they are) ................................................................... 4-8
4.6.2 Combine into a single shop in Jackson .............................................................................. 4-8
4.6.3 Combine into a single centrally located shop .................................................................... 4-8
4.6.4 Main shop in Lakefield; satellite shop in Jackson ............................................................. 4-9
4.6.5 Combine Jackson shop with City of Jackson Public Works at the industrial park site ..... 4-9
4.6.6 Retain current two-shop configuration, with more vehicles in Lakefield ....................... 4-10
4.6.7 Add a facility at Heron Lake ............................................................................................ 4-11
4.6.8 Shared-use opportunities .................................................................................................. 4-11
4.7 Summary of recommendations .................................................................................................... 4-12
4-1

4.1 Executive summary of the plow routing and facility
Introduction siting study
This section reports on
SEH’s analysis of the JCHD asked SEH to carry out three tasks:
efficiency of JCHD • Evaluate current condition of JCHD’s facilities (results in Section 2).
plowing/sanding routes.
• Evaluate how plowing/sanding routes are and would be impacted by
locating JCHD facilities in various places (presented in this section).

Existing operations • Create plans, designs, and specifications for new facilities (see drawings
• County has 521 miles of in Appendix A).
road.
• 1,274 lane miles are 4.1.1 Existing operations
plowed and/or sanded.
• 9 vehicles at Jackson; 5 • JCHD maintains 521 miles of roadway.
vehicles at Lakefield.
• Current plow route • In all, 1,274 lane miles are plowed.
system is very efficient.
• Currently, 9 plow vehicles are kept at the Jackson shop and 5 at the
Analysis of existing Lakefield shop. Each of these 14 vehicles is assigned to a specific plow
operations route.
Inadequate shop space
greatly reduces the • The county plow route system is very efficient ― in part due to having 2
efficiency and timeliness of shops and in part due to dedicated, careful employees.
plowing / sanding
operation ― and increases 4.1.2 Analysis of existing operations
maintenance costs.
Due to severely limited shop space in Jackson and Lakefield, plow trucks do
not fit in the shops with their plows attached. Plows must be detached from
trucks and left outdoors after each snow/ice event. Also, depending on what
maintenance happens to be taking place, some trucks must occasionally be
left outdoors. As a result, plows must be reattached to trucks at the beginning
of every snow/ice event. For the same reasons, motor graders and salt/sand
loaders kept at Jackson must be kept either in cold storage or directly outdoors
(The motor grader kept at Lakefield is in tempered storage). The engines of
vehicles kept in the cold are plugged in, but hydraulics and controls cannot be
heated; they are cold and stiff in winter weather. As a result:
• There is continual inefficiency in the plowing/sanding operation.
• JCHD’s ability to respond to snow/ice events is significantly slowed.
• Maintenance costs are increased due to heightened wear of hydraulic

hoses, pumps, and valves.

4-2
Review of 8 scenarios for
configuring JCHD
facilities
A. Do nothing. 4.1.3 Review of 8 scenarios
B. Single shop in Jackson. We looked at the following scenarios for JCHD facilities and how each
C. Single centrally located scenario would impact the plowing/sanding operation:
shop. A. Do nothing (i.e., leave facilities as they are).
D. Two shops with main B. Combine into a single shop in Jackson.
shop in Lakefield.
C. Combine into a single shop near the center of the county.
E. Combine Jackson
D. Place the main shop in Lakefield with the satellite shop in Jackson.
facility with City of
E. Combine Jackson shop with City of Jackson Pub. Wks. at industrial park.
Jackson at industrial
F. Retain current two-shop configuration, with more vehicles in Lakefield.
park.
F. Retain current
G. Operate from 3 facilities: Jackson, Lakefield, and Heron Lake.
configuration, but with H. Initiate some form of shared use of equipment and/or facilities with
more vehicles in Mn/DOT or other agencies operating in the area.
Lakefield.
G. 3 facilities: Jackson,
Lakefield, Heron Lake.
H. Sharing with other
agencies.

Recommendations 4.1.4 Recommendations
• Continue with 2 shops:
We recommend:
main shop in Jackson;
satellite shop in • Continue with shops at 2 locations: main shop in Jackson and satellite
Lakefield. shop in Lakefield.
• Expand Jackson facility. • Expand the Jackson site by adding acreage and replacing existing
• Replace Lakefield buildings.
facility at new site. • Replace the Lakefield facility at a new site, sized for expansion and for
• Explore shared‐use inclusion of vehicles shared with other agencies.
agreements with cities • Explore shared-use agreements with the cities of Jackson and Lakefield as
and other agencies. well as other agencies.
• Purchase ArcGIS • Purchase ArcGIS software and train staff to use it to maintain the plow
software. route mapping.
4-3

4.2 Introduction
Introduction
JCHD requested 3 studies. An RFP issued by the Jackson County Highway Department (JCHD) in 2005
This section reports on how requested three studies:
facility configuration
impacts plow routes. • Assess the current condition of JCHD’s facilities.

• Analyze the impact that various configurations of JCHD facilities have

on plow route efficiency ― especially with regard to “dead-head” time
(time spent before or after actual plowing is done to get to the beginning
of the route or to get back to the shop).

• Recommend designs for new facilities.

Short Elliot Hendrickson, Inc. (SEH) was chosen for these projects. This
section is a report on the second study ― how facility configuration impacts
plow route efficiency. Both this study and the facilities condition study
(Section 1 of this document) were needed to suggest JCHD’s best course of
action.
Purpose of plow route
study
4.2.1 Purpose
• Identify inefficiencies.
• Minimize deadheading. The goals of this plow route study are to:
• Maximize miles • Identify and correct any inefficiency in plow routes and equipment.
plowable in an 8‐hour
shift. • Minimize dead-head time.
• Analyze how plow • Maximize the miles that can be plowed and sanded in each standard 8-
routes interact with hour shift ― and thereby avoid overtime whenever possible.
facility locations.
• Determine where • Analyze how plow routing interacts with the issue of how many JCHD
equipment should be facilities there should be ― and where they should be.
stored. • Determine what equipment should be stored at each site.

Study strategy: Evaluated 8
scenarios
4.3 Study strategy
A. Leave as is.
B. Combine to single shop 4.3.1 Evaluated 8 scenarios
in Jackson. To achieve the goals stated above, we met five times with JCHD staff. We
C. Combine to single shop also refined the plow route mapping and analyzed costs, efficiencies, and
in Lakefield. equipment. From this data, we determined if any routes should be modified.
D. Place main shop in Next we reviewed 8 possible scenarios for configuring JCHD’s facilities and
Lakefield; satellite in how each scenario would impact the efficiency of plow routes and the
Jackson. location of equipment. The 8 possible configurations are:

A. Do nothing (i.e., leave facilities as they are).
B. Combine into a single shop in Jackson.

C. Combine into a single shop in Lakefield.
D. Place the main shop in Lakefield with the satellite shop in Jackson.

4-4

E. Combine Jackson shop E. Combine the Jackson shop with the City of Jackson Public Works at the
with City of Jackson industrial park.
Pub. Wks.
F. Retain current F. Retain the current two-shop configuration, but add vehicles to Lakefield.
configuration, but with G. Operate from 3 facilities: Jackson, Lakefield, and Heron Lake.
more vehicles at H. Initiate some form of shared use of equipment and/or facilities with
Lakefield. Mn/DOT or other agencies operating in the area.
G. 3 facilities: Jackson,
Lakefield, and Heron
Lake.
H. Increase sharing of
facilities and equipment
with other agencies.

4.3.2 Formula for analyzing plow route efficiency

Formula for analyzing plow To analyze the efficiency of a given plow route, we used the following
route efficiency formula:
[Plow miles ÷ plow speed +
deadhead miles ÷ deadhead [Lane miles of plowing ÷ plow speed (mph)
speed] + Lane miles of deadheading ÷ deadheading speed (mph)]
x hourly cost x hourly cost of labor + equipment ($)
x number of events/year x typical number of events per year
x years in planning period x years in the planning period
= cost of a given route over
= cost in dollars to operate over the planning period.
20 years
This formula allows us to compare the costs of existing routes with the
routes that would result if the number of vehicles, type of vehicle on a route,
number of facilities, and/or facility locations were changed. Following are
the data we “plugged into” this formula.

4.3.3 Vehicle speed

Though actual plowing/sanding speeds vary depending on weather and other
factors, we used the average speeds shown in the table below:

Average Speed in MPH
Vehicle speed ― see table Activity Tandem or Oshkosh Motor
at right. Single-axle Grader
Truck
Deadhead travel ― urban 20 15 8
Deadhead travel ― rural 30 25 18
Plowing ― urban 15* 12 8
Plowing ― rural 25* 20 15
Sand only 30 25 Not
applicable
* For a 4-inch snowfall.
4-5

4.3.4 Hourly cost of labor and equipment

We used the following values for the hourly cost of labor and equipment:

Hourly cost of labor and Route / Vehicle Type Where Cost Per
equipment ― see table at Vehicle Stored? Hour ($) *
right. #
20 Tandem Axle 64
21 Single Axle 64
26 Tandem Axle 64
27 Tandem Axle 64
30 Tandem Axle Jackson 64
40 Motor Grader 70
42 Motor Grader 70
46 Motor Grader 70
54 Oshkosh 112
(heavy-duty
truck)
24 Tandem Axle 64
32 Tandem Axle 64
33 Tandem Axle Lakefield 64
45 Motor Grader 70
55 Oshkosh 112
* Includes the average labor cost of $27/hour + the cost of the specific
vehicle.
Other values used in For the other values in the analysis formula, we used the following:
analysis formula • Average number of snow/ice events per year = 45
• Average # of snow/ice • Planning period = 20 years (The county’s road system is not
events per year: 45 expected to grow over this period ― unless state highways currently
• Planning period: 20 managed by Mn/DOT are turned over to the county; see paragraph
years 4.4.6 for more details.)
For an example of how this formula was used, see Appendix D.

4.3.5 Data collection

Data collection methods To collect the data needed to plug into the formula above, JCHD provided us
• Measurement of the with paper files as well as AutoCAD and Geographic Information System
existing system. (GIS) files. Working with the JCHD staff, we updated the GIS database to
• Conversations with reflect jurisdiction, surface type, average annual daily traffic, route segment
JCHD staff. length, the number of lanes plowed and/or sanded, and plow route number.
With the data, we developed summary statistical tables. We then verified the
accuracy of our data by double-checking with the JCHD staff to be sure we
were describing the reality of the situation. The table in Appendix D
contains a summary of the collected data.
4-6

4.3.6 Improvements in efficiency
Analysis led to 14.5‐mile
decrease in deadheading. In 2006, using the gathered data and working with the JCHD staff, we were
able to adjust some routes to reduce deadheading by 14.5 miles (from 86
miles to 71.5 miles), thus increasing the efficiency of the plowing operation.
We did this by moving some miles from one route to another and moving
one truck’s starting location from Jackson to Lakefield.

Existing conditions
4.4 Existing conditions

Topography 4.4.1 Topography
Both the Des Moines River The Des Moines River bisects Jackson County with just five river crossings
and I‐90 bisect the county; in the county. Also, Highway I-90 and Heron Lake block passage around the
in each case, there are county. All of these factors directly impact plow routing.
limited crossings that
impact plow routing. 4.4.2 Limited shop space reduces plowing efficiency

Limited shop space reduces For a discussion of how limited shop space reduces plowing efficiency, see
efficiency Section 2, paragraph 2.3 of this document.
See Section 2, paragraph 2.3
for full discussion of how 4.4.3 Mileage summary
shop space limits plow
JCHD maintains 521 miles of roadway:
efficiency.
• 371 miles of CSAH (county state-aid highway) ― all paved.
County mileage summary
372 mi. of CSAH + • 150 miles of county roads (130 miles gravel; 20 miles paved)
149 mi. of county roads = This is a lot of miles! If all of these roads were laid end-to-end in a straight
521 total miles. line, starting in Jackson and running a little west of due north, they would
end a few miles south of Winnipeg, Canada:
Total lane miles plowed
and/or sanded = 1274. Winnipeg
521 miles
Jackson
1,274 lane-miles are plowed and/or sanded each time there is a major winter
precipitation event (defined as 4 inches or more of snow and/or ice). For a
detailed accounting of the miles plowed and salted/sanded in the county, see
Appendix D. Appendix D also contains detailed plow route maps.
4-7
Efficiency calculations
4.5 Efficiency calculations
Total deadheading ― 71.5 An important issue is: How much deadhead time is there in a given route?
miles ― is 0.056% of lane Obviously, deadheading is time when the county incurs costs, but when
miles. This is very efficient. productivity = 0. There is a total of 1274 lane miles in the county. Of these,
71.5 are deadhead miles. Therefore: 71.5 ÷ 1274 = 5.6% deadhead miles.
Compared to other counties with similar road systems, this is quite good.
Overall, we judge JCHD’s current plow route system to be very
efficient. The two most important factors in achieving this have been:
• Conscientious, hard-working employees.
• Having two shops allows vehicles to start out closer to their plow
routes and therefore avoid deadheading.

4.6 Recommendations regarding the 8 scenarios
Recommendations As stated in paragraph 3.1 of this report, we reviewed 8 scenarios with
regarding the 8 scenarios different combinations of the number, location, and configuration of JCHD
facilities. Following are our conclusions and recommendations for each of
the 8 scenarios:

4.6.1 Do nothing (i.e., leave conditions as they are)

• Do nothing? We do not Irrespective of the plow routing situation, and based solely on current
recommend this. facilities conditions (see Section 2), we cannot recommend leaving
conditions as they are.

4.6.2 Combine into a single shop in Jackson
Our previous experience suggests that, for an area the size of Jackson
• Combine into single County, two facilities are more efficient than one ― and this was borne out
shop at Jackson? We when we analyzed plow routes for a theoretical single facility in Jackson:
do not recommend Closing the Lakefield site would increase deadheading by more than 115
this. miles and would increase overtime pay, costing the county approximately

$532,000 over the 20-year time-frame of this study. Also, the quality of
service would be degraded due to the increased time required for drivers of
the 5 routes currently based in Lakefield to get to their beginning points.
Furthermore, since a truck can go through three loads of sand/salt material in
a day during an ice event, there would need to be at least a sand/salt shed in
or near Lakefield to avoid an additional large amount of deadhead time.
Therefore, we cannot recommend combining into a single shop in
Jackson.

4.6.3 Combine into a single centrally located shop

The disadvantages of this scenario are similar to those for a single shop in
• Combine into single
centrally located shop?
Jackson. With a single centrally located shop, deadheading would increase
We do not recommend for all except one Jackson-based route and one Lakefield-based route. For
this. example, if a shop were built at the intersection of CR’s 14 and 17,
deadheading increases would range from 6 to 16 miles per route ― in all,
104 deadhead miles would be added. (For a shop at the intersection of CR’s
4-8
14 and 19, 100 miles of deadhead would be added.) Taking into
consideration deadheading, overtime, and going back for salt/sand during
salt/sand-only events, this scenario would cost the county about $560,000
over the 20-year planning period. It is also likely that timeliness of service
in Jackson and Lakefield would be degraded. Such a single site could also
make staged construction of JCHD facilities more challenging.

Note: The increased expenses referenced above might be offset by savings
on land cost and/or if joint-use agreements are reached with other
agencies operating in the county.

In view of the above information, we cannot recommend this scenario.

4.6.4 Main shop in Lakefield; satellite shop in Jackson
• Place main shop in Because most of the county’s population is centered in the southeast corner
Lakefield with satellite around Jackson, that part of the county has the highest density of roads and
shop in Jackson? We plow routes. Therefore, moving the main shop to Lakefield would place
do not recommend more trucks farther away from the starting points of their routes and would
this. thus increase cost by increasing deadheading. Therefore, we cannot
recommend this scenario.

4.6.5 Combine Jackson shop with City of Jackson Public Works

at the industrial park site

Should JCHD and the City of By combining the JCHD facility with the City of Jackson Public Works at
Jackson Public Works be the industrial park, there would be a reduction of 3 miles of deadheading on
combined at the industrial plow routes that start north of Jackson. But these would be offset by
park site? We do not increases of 9 miles of deadheading on routes that start south of Jackson. As
recommend this. a result, moving JCHD to the industrial park would add $64,320 to the
county’s costs over 20 years. We do not judge this to be a major factor.
However, there are other important factors:
• In terms of potential tax revenue, it would be better to devote the
industrial park site to manufacturing rather than public works.
• The airport safety zone requirement could interfere with the desired
building height.
• Heights of piles of road-building materials and the associated

conveyors, etc. could also be restricted by the airport safety zone
requirement.
Therefore, we cannot recommend this scenario.
4-9

Lakefield issues 4.6.6 Retain current two-shop configuration, with more vehicles
in Lakefield

As part of this scenario, we addressed several questions regarding the
A. Lakefield facility:
Should the Lakefield
shop be moved to a A. As explained in paragraphs 1.5, 2.4.1, and 5.1.1 of this document,
location outside of the the existing Lakefield site is not large enough for construction of a
town? Yes. Current facility that would sufficiently serve the county’s needs while at the
facility is not large same time allowing JCHD to operate from the existing site.
enough. Furthermore, the City of Lakefield has a 120-acre site east of town;
10 acres within that site can be made available for facilities that
would serve both the city and the county. Therefore, if the question
is: “Should JCHD operations in Lakefield be moved out of town?”
our answer is yes.
B. For optimum plowing
efficiency, how many B. Currently, 5 plow vehicles are stored in Lakefield. For optimum
plow vehicles should be plowing efficiency, timeliness, and expense, how many plow
stored at Lakefield? vehicles should be stored and maintained in Lakefield?
If the county wants a
higher level of service, If the county wishes to achieve a higher level of service (such as pre-
increase to 6 or 7
wetting roads with liquid salt solution) ― or if Mn/DOT turns back
vehicles stored at
highway 264 and/or 86 to the county ― then 6 or 7 county plow
Lakefield.
vehicles should be kept at Lakefield. This would be accommodated

best at a new site.

Note: By prior agreement with the City of Lakefield and Mn/DOT,
the Mn/DOT truck must be included in any replacement facility.
C. To optimize plowing,
should any routes be C. Should any routes be moved to Lakefield to further optimize
moved to Lakefield? plowing?
No; however, parts of
routes 29 and 45 No; all current starting locations are optimal. Of the 3 Jackson
should be moved to routes that come closest to Lakefield, routes 27 and 30 have 0
other routes. deadhead miles. To move them to Lakefield would add deadhead
miles. The motor grader that handles Route 42 currently has 6
deadhead miles; that would also be increased if the route was moved
to Lakefield. However, truck route 29 and motor grader route 45
have the two longest plow routes. As opportunity is presented, it
Conclusion: Replace would make sense to shift portions of these two routes to other
Lakefield facility at a new routes.
site, sized for expansion
and for inclusion of vehicles Conclusion: We recommend building new facilities in Lakefield to
shared with other agencies. accommodate a maximum of 7 plow vehicles, which would allow for
inclusion of vehicles shared with other agencies.

4-10
Should the county operate
from three facilities in 4.6.7 Add a facility at Heron Lake
Jackson, Lakefield, and Building a third facility in Heron Lake would minimally benefit just 2 plow
Heron Lake? We do not routes. It would be like putting a water tower at the edge of the water
recommend this. system: overall, not enough “bang for the buck.” However, the County
could increase the level of service in the Heron Lake area by adding a
truck and driver to the Lakefield facility. This truck would cost
approximately $180,000, and the driver would be paid approximately
$30,000 per year.

4.6.8 Shared-use opportunities

Should the county initiate Potential benefits of sharing a facility with another agency or agencies
shared‐use discussions with operating in the area would include:
Cities of Jackson and • Savings on a shared sand/salt storage facility.
Lakefield? Yes; there are
many potential benefits of • Savings on coordinated purchasing of fuel and materials.
shared use.
• Shared lunchroom and restroom areas.
• Some agencies’ parks divisions may have seasonal needs that are
opposite of JCHD’s needs, thus allowing some workers to have
continuous work throughout the year.
• Shared mechanics.
• Savings on cost of auxiliary equipment such as loader, hoist, tire

changer, etc.
To reduce costs and increase the level of service, the County is already
sharing or cooperating with:
• Mn/DOT on sand/salt purchase and exchange in Jackson and
Windom.
• The City of Lakefield on sand/salt storage.
• Mn/DOT with regard to a truck located at the county-owned

Lakefield shop; this sharing is based on an agreement between the
City of Lakefield, Mn/DOT, and JCHD.
Preliminary discussion regarding the needs of agencies in the county brought

out the following information:
• The City of Jackson is interested in discussing a joint facility.
• The City of Lakefield is currently moving forward with plans for a

modern public works facility, which will include storage space for
the Mn/DOT truck.
• Mn/DOT, Minnesota National Guard, and the Soil and Water

Conservation District stated that they are not interested in any new
agreements at this time.
4-11
• Recently, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources built a

facility in Windom; thus, they are not interested in building in
Jackson.
Note: The school board has not been contacted.
Note: Several SEH clients, including the cities of Hutchinson and

Minnetonka, have shared-use facilities. For a discussion of
Hutchinson’s experience, see Appendix C.

Summary of
recommendations:
4.7 Summary of recommendations
In view of all information presented in this report, to optimize the efficiency
• Continue with current of snow/ice removal, we recommend the following:
configuration: main • Continue with current configuration: 2 shops with the main shop in
shop in Jackson; Jackson and a satellite facility in or near Lakefield.
satellite shop in
Lakefield • Increase response time and decrease overtime by replacing shops at both
locations so that trucks with their plows attached can be stored indoors
• Build new facilities to (see Section 2 for details).
increase plow response
time and efficiency. • Replace the Lakefield facility at a new site, sized for expansion and to
allow other agency vehicles if such agreements arise.
• Move Lakefield shop to
a new larger site. • Explore shared-use agreements with the cities of Jackson and Lakefield
as well as other agencies.
• Explore shared‐use with
Cities Jackson and • Purchase ArcGIS software and train staff to maintain the plow route
Lakefield.
mapping.

• Purchase GIS These recommendations agree with the major recommendation in other
software. sections of this report ― i.e., to replace both current facilities.
4-12
Conclusions &
Recommendations
JCHD Facilities ― Section 5: Conclusions and Recommendations
JCHD Facilities
Section 5
Conclusions and Recommendations
Contents

5.1 Conclusions and recommendations ................................................................................................ 5-2
5.1.1 Feasible to build new facility & simultaneously operate at current sites .............................. 5-2
5.1.2 Build new facilities ............................................................................................................... 5-2
5.1.3 Advantages and disadvantages of a phased building program .............................................. 5-2
5.1.4 Re-use of existing facilities ................................................................................................... 5-2
5.1.5 Ready to move forward ......................................................................................................... 5-3
5-1

5.1 Conclusions and recommendations
Feasible to build and
operate simultaneously on 5.1.1 Feasible to build new facility & simultaneously
same sites operate at current sites

With acquisition of 30 acres The recent acquisition by JCHD of 30 acres of land adjacent to the existing
adjacent to Jackson site ― Jackson site will make it possible to build new JCHD facilities in Jackson while
and if the site east of continuing to operate from the existing facilities. In addition, the city of Lakefield
Lakefield is used ― new owns 120 acres of land on the east side of Lakefield (1mile east of Highway 86).
facilities can be built while 10 of these acres can be made available for construction of a highway maintenance
continuing to operate JCHD facility that would serve both the county and the city. While such a facility is built,
from existing sites. JCHD can continue to operate from the existing Lakefield facility.

5.1.2 Build new facilities
SEH recommends building
new facilities because the As stated in the Executive Summary and in Section 3, we recommend building
cost of renovating existing new facilities rather than renovating the existing facilities. This conclusion and the
facilities would exceed the recommendations below are based on:
benefit.
• Our detailed review of existing facilities and plow routes presented in this
report, which show clearly that the costs of renovation would exceed
benefits.
• SEH’s extensive experience in the design and operation of highway

maintenance facilities.
5.1.3 Advantages and disadvantages of a phased building

program
A phased building program can be employed in constructing JCHD facilities; such
a program can be defined during the design phase. This would have the advantage
of spreading out the financial impact on the County. However, a phased building
program also has two major disadvantages: 1) Does not allow the County to take
advantage of purchasing building materials in the highest possible volume. 2)
Does not avoid inflation of costs of materials and labor over time.
5.1.4 Re-use of existing facilities

After new JCHD facilities are built, some components of the existing facilities may
be re-used by the County or sold. The re-siting of facilities will be an important
factor in determining what should be kept what should be demolished. Some
existing facilities ― notably, the Jackson office building ― might be re-used for
other County or private activities.
5-2
5.1.5 Ready to move forward

With the completion of this study and report, SEH stands ready to work with the
County to refine the design of new facilities.
5-3
Appendix A
Drawings
JCHD Facilities ― Appendix A

JCHD Facilities
Appendix A
Drawings of Existing and Proposed Facilities
A-1
Figure A-1: Existing JCHD site in Jackson.
A-2
Figure A-2 Existing JCHD site in Jackson with recently acquired additional 30 acres outlined in black.
A-3
Figure A-3 Existing JCHD site in Lakefield.
A-4
Figure A-4: Satellite photo of Lakefield with available site for new JCHD facility outlined in black.
A-5
Figure A-5: Proposed JCHD floor plans for Jackson and Lakefield.
A-6
Appendix B
Article - Hwy Dept. Fire
JCHD Facilities ― Appendix B

JCHD Facilities
Appendix B
Article from Chippewa Herald
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin:
“Fire Destroys County Highway Building”
B-1
Following is the text of an article that appeared in the Chippewa Herald (Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin),
September 11, 2000. A photocopy of the original article is on the next page.
Fire Destroys County Highway Building

By Mark Gunderman / The Chippewa Herald
It’s not so much the loss of the Chippewa County a.m. Firefighters were still on the scene this
Highway Department’s main equipment storage morning. Five fire vehicles and 23 firefighters were
building that Bruce Stelzner was worried about this used to fight the blaze.
morning. After all, the building was constructed in
1929, needed to be replaced years ago, and was About half the building ― up to the fire wall ―
slated for demolition after a new building under sustained serious structural damage. This morning
construction at the site was completed. But the loss Stelzner was still assessing the amount of
of equipment inside that old building, and what to equipment lost. He had been on the scene since
do until the new building is completed, are real 11:30 p.m. Sunday. Counted as a total loss are the
problems for the Highway Department today. county’s sign-installation truck, a pickup, a small
center-line striper and two arrow boards. Stelzner
Complicating the situation is the department having said. “There are four single-axle trucks that the roof
to deal with road wash-outs from the same storm is laying on right now,” Stelzner said about 9 a.m.
that spawned the fire. Heavy storms moved through today.
the area Sunday evening, bringing torrential
downpours, high winds ― and lightning strikes. He said one truck appears to be a total loss. The
“Apparently the antenna that’s mounted on the other three may be salvageable; however they are
building was struck by lightning and it blew out newer trucks with complex wiring systems that may
transformers in the building,” said Stelzner, the have been destroyed. Also destroyed was the
commissioner of the Highway Department. county’s highway sign manufacturing facility and a
large number of signs in inventory. The county is
The Chippewa Falls Fire Department arrived on the now short of the “Road Closed” signs to be used at
scene at 1:03 p.m. The Chippewa Fire Protection wash-out locations around the county following the
District provided assistance. storm. An insurance adjuster was due at the site
today.
The age of the building, the oil-soaked floors, and
the lack of window openings hampered firefighters’ Stelzner said it is too early to tell how the fire would
efforts, according to a statement issued by the fire affect the county’s ability to make road repairs, or to
department. Heavy smoke and flames were already get snow removed in a timely fashion this winter.
evident throughout the lower portion of the building New plow trucks generally take a year between
when firemen arrived. Crews attacked the fire ordering and delivery.
inside the building until severe heat forced them to
withdraw. The fire reached a second-floor balcony, For now, all available men and equipment are out
then followed the roof line to a fire wall. All off- dealing with one disaster or another. The workers
duty firefighters were called in on a general alarm came in about 3 a.m. “Those I no longer have
and the fire was brought under control at about 3:45 trucks for, we have here at the shop,” Stelzner said.
B-2
Chippewa Herald, September 11, 2000
B-3
Appendix C
Hutchinson Experience
JCHD Facilities ― Appendix C

JCHD Facilities
Appendix C
Comparable experience of Hutchinson Area Transportation Services
(HATS) Facility
C-1
JCHD Facilities ― Appendix C
Comparable experience of
Hutchinson Area Transportation Services (HATS) Facility
In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s the City of operations. The facility includes local offices for
Hutchinson, Mn/DOT and McLeod County the Minnesota State Patrol. In 1999, Mn/DOT
Highway Department all wrestled with facility added a significant amount of office space for their
needs. Through informal and formal networks, the design and construction efforts in this region and
three agencies became aware of each other’s needs. added vehicle/equipment maintenance. Also in
In 1991, the three agencies began laying the 1999, the County added vehicle/equipment
groundwork for an unprecedented partnership effort. maintenance. In 2001, Trailblazer Transit moved
into the facility. In 2002, Mn/DOT began
A feasibility report prepared for the three agencies construction of additional cold storage for the
identified the potential for significant savings if a facility. Also, a study began to determine how best
single, combined facility was constructed. The to use the 22-acre site to accommodate current and
report forecasted additional savings for combined expected future growth.
sand/salt storage facilities, coordinated purchase of
fuel and materials, and the potential for sharing This award-winning facility has been successful at
equipment. Another key benefit identified in the serving state, county, and city operations. HATS is
report was the likelihood of increased operational anticipated to grow as it meets future needs of
efficiencies and improved coordination among the partner agencies. This facility serves as a model for
three agencies. Also, building cost savings of about shared facilities statewide. Several shared facilities
$1M and significant yearly operational savings were in Minnesota and beyond have included a visit to
identified. the HATS facility in the early stages of their own
processes.
Formal planning for the facility began with
preparation of a “Framework for Tri-Agency John Rodeberg was the Director of
Agreement”, prepared with input from each of the Engineering/Public Works at Hutchinson until
agencies. In 1994, the three agencies received a November 2006 when he began employment with
grant from the State of Minnesota Board of SEH.
Government Innovation and Cooperation. This
grant helped with the planning and development of
the project. Joint Powers Agreements were
subsequently approved by all three agencies. A
Joint Powers Board consisting of 2 representatives
of the City, and 1 each from the County and State,
operates the Facility.
All levels of staff were involved in designing

operational parameters and in the original design of
the project. Construction on the facility began in
the spring of 1995. On October 31, 1995 the facility
was opened to the agencies and the facility became
fully operational in January of 1996.
The facility continues to evolve as a successful

partnership effort, with all three agencies
recognizing its value to taxpayers and to their own
C-2
Appendix D
Plow Route Details
JCHD Facilities ― Appendix D

JCHD Facilities
Appendix D
Plow Route Study: Detailed Data
D-1
Plow route data & example of route analysis
Jackson County plowing/sanding route data
UNIT TYPE PLOW / PLOW SAND SUBTOTAL DEADHEAD TOTAL MINUTES HOURS
SAND ONLY ONLY LANE
MILES
20 Tandem 78.5 4.0 0.0 82.5 14.9 97.4 233.1 3.9
21 Single 54.6 3.0 17.9 75.5 7.0 82.5 186.1 3.1
24 Tandem 78.3 0.0 0.0 78.3 4.5 82.8 202.2 3.4
26 Tandem 77.0 4.0 3.9 84.9 7.9 92.8 215.8 3.6
27 Tandem 71.7 0.0 38.4 110.1 0.0 110.1 248.8 4.1
30 Tandem 73.5 8.4 0.0 81.9 0.0 81.9 196.6 3.3
32 Tandem 74.0 8.0 0.0 82.0 0.6 82.5 198.2 3.3
33 Tandem 83.2 5.2 0.0 88.3 0.4 88.8 243.5 4.1
40 Blade 0.0 84.0 0.0 84.0 18.4 102.4 427.6 7.1
42 Blade 0.0 101.6 0.0 101.6 5.8 107.5 455.4 7.6
45 Blade 0.0 113.9 0.0 113.9 0.8 114.7 511.3 8.5
46 Blade 0.0 77.8 0.0 77.8 3.0 80.8 321.2 5.4
54 Oshkosh 76.2 0.0 0.0 76.2 4.4 80.5 195.8 3.3
55 Oshkosh 65.3 0.0 0.0 65.3 3.8 69.0 164.8 2.7
1202.3 71.5 1273.8
Note: “Plow Only” miles (4th column) are for gravel-surface roads only.
Plow route analysis example

As stated in paragraph 4.3.2 (in Section 4 of this document), we used the following formula to analyze plow
routes:
[Lane miles of plowing ÷ deadhead speed (mph)

+ Lane miles of deadheading ÷ deadheading speed (mph)]
x hourly cost of labor + equipment ($)
x typical number of events per year
x years in the planning period
= cost in dollars to operate over the planning period.
For example, route 20 is plowed by a tandem-axle truck. As shown in the table above, the route has a total of
97.4 lane miles and 14.9 miles of deadheading. Therefore:
97.4 lane miles on route ÷ 25 mph = 3.9 hours of plowing time
14.9 miles of deadhead ÷ 30 mph = 0.5 hour of deadhead time
Therefore: 3.90 hours (plowing time) + 0.5 hour (deadhead time) = 4.4 hours
Therefore, total cost of route 20 over 20 years = 4.4 hours x $64/hour x 45 events/year x 20 years =
$253,440.
D-2
Plow route maps

The next three pages contain some of the maps created as part of this report:
Figure 1 shows the roadway network maintained by JCHD, showing jurisdictions and surface types.
Figure 2 shows all plow routes for the winter of ‘06/’07.
Figure 3 is an example: part of one detailed route map (Route 20).
Note: As part of this study, we created individual maps for all routes. These maps include:
• Number of passes for each route segment.
• Driving direction arrows.
• Whether each pass is plow, sand, or both.
We prepared these maps using the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) system (a grid system that provides a
precise and convenient way to locate map features), based on UTM Zone 15, with feet as the unit of measure,
and based on the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83).
D-3
Appendix E
Which Building Type?
JCHD Facilities ― Appendix E: Which Building Type is Right for JCHD?

JCHD Facilities
Appendix E
Which Building Type is Right for JCHD?
E-1
It may appear that a reasonable solution to JCHD’s foundation walls, which saves on energy costs.
facilities problem is to build pole buildings like Furthermore, concrete buildings require almost no
those used on farms. The problem with this exterior maintenance and are likely to provide
approach is that wood poles in the ground good service for up to 80 years. Today, such
eventually rot ― and with the high water table at buildings cost $130-140 per sq. ft.
the Jackson location, the poles would rot quickly.
It really comes down to short-term cost vs. long-
Furthermore, the building code requirements for term cost. Is it better to build a building that costs
commercial buildings are not the same as for a less but doesn’t last very long? Given the cost of
farm building used to contain machinery or inflation compounded over 40 years, the metal
livestock. For example, because a highway building or pole building would actually be more
department building would be occupied by people expensive than putting up the precast facility.
day in and day out, the code requires that its roof
and wall systems be much more substantial than Finally, there’s the option that, to date, has been
for a comparably sized farm building. taken in Jackson County: Make do with existing
structures. An important way to understand the
The result is that the cost of a commercial pole result of this is to look at energy costs. Energy
building is much greater than a farm pole building costs are an important factor in the operation of
of the same size. How much? In 2009, an any facility. In fact, for JCHD, energy costs
unheated pole building of the type used for storage should be seen as a crucial factor in deciding when
on farms will cost about $48 per sq. ft. A heated, and how to respond to the department’s facilities
finished, code-compliant pole building suitable for needs. This is because energy costs have
heated storage, repair facilities, and/or offices for a consistently risen over the years. For example,
county highway department will cost about $90 according to the US Energy Information
per sq. ft. That building’s useful life expectancy is Administration, the cost commercial customers
30-35 years and it will certainly require total pay for natural gas has doubled since 1985 and at
replacement within 40 years. times during 2008 was triple the 1985 cost. It is a
good bet that all energy costs will continue to
Another commonly suggested solution is to build a increase faster than the average inflation rates for
pre-engineered metal building, such as the type all products.
commonly used for farm implement dealers. This
is a better option than the pole building. It would Furthermore, at JCHD’s Jackson facility, energy
not have the rotted-foundation issue and would costs are rising faster than for other facilities. This
require less maintenance over the long term. is because nearly all of the buildings at the
Today, metal buildings of this type cost $105 – Jackson facility are constructed of one-block-thick
$110 per sq. ft. and are likely to have a useful life masonry walls that are either un-insulated or
span of 35-40 years ― with total replacement under-insulated. To compound the problem,
needed in about 50 years. differential settlement has created cracks in the
walls that allow air to move through the walls.
Yet another option is a precast concrete building. This lets cold air in and allows heat produced in
Again, such buildings have no problems with the buildings to escape.
rotted foundation systems. They also offer the
advantage that the floor is totally isolated from the The table on the next page compares the heating
cost for JCHD’s Jackson facility with two other
county highway department facilities.
E-2
Table E-1: Energy Costs for Three County Highway Facilities
County Highway Approximate Heated Heating Cost Heating Cost

Department Age of Space For One Per 1,000 Sq.
Location Building (sq. ft.) Heating Ft.
Season (dollars)
Washburn County, Spooner, 5 years 83,000 $20,665 $249
Wisconsin (2006-07)
Polk County, Balsam Lake, 75 years 33,000 Approx. $545
Wisconsin $18,000
(2006-07)
Jackson County, Jackson, 65 years 33,300 Approx. $931
Minnesota $31,000
(2007-08)
E-3

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Facility Study & Proposal

Jackson County Highway Department

December 22, 2009

Sect. Topic Page

Excerpts from Jackson County’s Mission Statement …………………………………………………….. 1-1

Section 1: Executive Summary

Section 2: Current Conditions

Section 3: Cost of Renovating Existing Facilities

Section 4: Plow Routing and Facility Siting Study

Section 5: Conclusions and Recommendations

Appendix A: Drawings of Existing and Proposed Facilities

Economic growth & stability

1.1 Purpose of this report ………………………………………………………….. 1-4

As a direct result, JCHD is • Non-compliant with OSHA.

This report presents a plan for solving these problems.

2.1 Main JCHD facility in Jackson ....................................................................................................... 2-2

This situation causes two problems. First, temperature fluctuation and

Figure 2: Uncontained salt/sand storage in Jackson allows salt to contaminate

Figure 3: JCHD main office building in Jackson.

Figure 5: Disintegrated blocks on exterior of vehicle storage building at Jackson

Figure 6: Structural cracking and spalling in the Jackson storage building.

Figure 7: As stop-gap measures, deteriorated buildings are reinforced with steel

Figure 8: Maintenance foreman/mechanic’s office.

Likewise, virtually all aspects of the maintenance buildings are non-

These conditions make it virtually impossible to hire physically challenged

Figure 9: Six-foot-high tunnel storage area in Jackson.

Figure 10: Welding hood in the shop area.

• The building is not safeguarded with a surge protection system.

• Some lighting is outdated and inefficient.

There is no floor drain.

Figure 11: “Stacked” trucks at the Lakefield facility.

Clearly, these facility limitations translate directly into reduced service. In

Note: The structural systems in the garage buildings in Jackson and

Figure 13: Large building in Lakefield.

In the interior of the large building, there is an 8-foot-high pre-engineered

• There is a single water hose connection.

• There is no break room.

• The lighting is inadequate, as shown in Figure 14 (previous page).

3.1 Overall low quality of facilities ...................................................................................................... 3-2

Overall low quality of 3.1 Overall low quality of facilities

Finally, we wish to point out that the many improvements shown

3.2 Jackson site and infrastructure ―

At fueling area, construct new concrete $132,480

Provide emergency shutoff for gas-pumping $2,070

The site currently has 120/240 volt, single- $28,800

Estimated total cost $201,990

3.3 Jackson site and infrastructure ―

Provide Category 5 wiring between buildings $6,900

Estimated total cost $27,600

3.4 Jackson office building ―

Restroom reconstruction (ADA). $8,280

Provide make-up air to furnace and restroom $2,484

Provide new sewage ejector for basement $8,004

Revise return air to return in each room vs. one $7,314

Install new high-efficiency furnace and $18,180

Note: No electrical code issues were identified.

Estimated total cost $49,042

3.6 Jackson outbuildings ―

Install new double-pane, thermally broken (i.e., $44,160

As needed in each case, upgrade or install new $6,624

Add approximately 4” of additional insulation $22,080

Concrete block repair, including tuck-pointing. $20,700

Build code-required chemical storage room. $45,000