Is it possible to agree on the estimated cost of the county morgue? It’s certainly not looking that way as the price has risen once again to $144,000, almost reaching the $150,000 quoted a few weeks ago. In the past month, prices have ranged from the initially suggested under $50,000 price tag, to a “cap figure” of $150,000, to the $75,000 estimated by County Executive Herschel Wells last week.The $75,000 figure quoted by Wells was provided by architect Upland Design Group for a basic metal building with no brick or loading dock and did not include equipment or cooler costs.In a joint meeting of the county’s Building and Grounds Committee and Safety Committee, county safety coordinator David Britton gave commissioners a brief history of the morgue project and a report of where it currently stands.Since naming Upland as the architect, the county has been able to settle on a site for the facility which allows for progress on the final design and a more accurate estimate of final cost.Working with Upland, Britton has been able to come up with cost projections that should more closely match the final numbers.
Morgue expenses back up to $144K