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Mar 15, 2023

SPD set for new boiler, city staff archiving documents

Reporter SHERIDAN — Sheridan Police Department is set for a new boiler system

Reporter

SHERIDAN — Sheridan Police Department is set for a new boiler system and city staff are currently working to archive old documents.

SPD is beginning the process to install a new boiler system that will heat the building.

The current system was installed during building construction in 1982 and the boiler is near or at the end of its life. A study of the building's capabilities was conducted in 2007.

"At that time, they recommended replacement of the boiler," SPD Chief Travis Koltiska said.

Given the age of the boiler, parts are no longer available.

"If anything breaks, we are without heat," Koltiska said.

Koltiska recommended Sheridan City Council adopt a bid of $26,750 from Associated Construction Engineering of Sheridan for the design of the new boiler system at SPD. Should council adopt the bid, Associated Construction Engineering's work will include design development for the new boiler system, construction document services, construction bid services and construction administration services.

Koltiska said the bid was given the OK from Public Works Director Hanns Mercer, who gave a thumbs up to council during the study session Monday.

Koltiska also said the firm was the only one approached for the design because of its familiarity with the HVAC system designed by the company. Koltiska said a new boiler system is currently projected to cost between $275,000 and $325,000.

Council is expected to vote on whether to adopt the bid during its regular meeting May 30.

City staff are working to archive various city department documents to eventually make them more readily available to the public and staff. City Administrator Stuart McRae provided an update on the city's efforts to do so.

McRae said the data and plans were previously kept with city staff members in each individual department.

"Whenever you saw key departmental personnel turnover, what you had was that historical knowledge that went with that person," McRae said.

The city had never had a central location for reports before the process began. The consolidation and centralized location allow for better access to various documents prepared by city departments.

Once documents are found, city staff determine the current relevancy and a review timeline to conduct a new study, write a new report or establish new standards. According to McRae's presentation, 24 plans and nine reports spanning multiple city departments have been found and cataloged; six standards documents from the public works department have also been discovered.

The plans archived are master plans and include the wastewater system master plan and Sheridan downtown master plan, both of which will be updated this year. The reports cataloged are purpose-driven and the example given was the 103 N Gould Street property report. The standards outlined are for construction completed in the city and include specifications and details for street and utility construction, which will be completed by July 1.

McRae said city staff will continue to look for new documents to catalog, using old and current documents to inform the city's strategic planning process.

City Clerk Cecilia Good said most master plans are available on the specific department's page within the city website and she is currently working to find a new public records portal that allows for easier access to documents and thus more transparency.

Reporter

Joseph Beaudet started as the government reporter for The Sheridan Press in February 2023.