County to consider change orders for Meller Family Health Center

LEE COUNTY – On Tuesday, the Lee County Board of Supervisors will be considering several change orders to the new Meller Family Health Center.
The facility that will house the Lee County Health Department and Lee County EMS Fort Madison bay is projected to cost about $6 million and is estimated to be completed this fall.
The change orders will provide for a back-up generator to power sections of the building and equipment that will need to be functional in the event of a loss of power at the facility.
The change order will result in an additional $22,000 to the project, however previous savings that were uncovered in lighting at the facility will result in a net change of about $16,400.
Other changes include a $4,000 increase in costs to accommodate for purchases under the Buy America, Build America Act which requires certain construction materials to be purchased within the United States.
An electrical panel will be moved from the ambulance bay to a room inside the facility at a cost of $632. Change orders on the project have been less than anticipated with some savings being found in the contract with Mohrfeld Electric. The other two main contractors on the work are SG Construction and Arnold Refrigeration.
The county is close to meeting its required investment before last-in funding from USDA’s $3 million is applied to the project. That funding comes from a congressional appropriation the county secured in 2023 of about $2.1 million and a rural emergency health care grant of $975,000 secured in 2022.
A Community Development Block Grant ushered in by Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission contributed about $600,000 to the project. Additional funding is being provided through private donations collected through the North Lee County Community Foundation.
Other items on Tuesday morning’s agenda include:
• discussion and possible action on financial assistance to the Lee County EMS council to purchase an I-simulate system;
• a closed session under Iowa Code 21.5 (1)(j) to discuss purchase or sale of real estate, and possible action out of the closed session.