County moving ahead on building construction projects

The Anoka County Board has awarded contracts for three projects.

One will renovate the Anoka County Veterans Service Office at the Anoka County Government Center; another will construct a new restroom building at Locke Park, Fridley, which was destroyed by fire; and the third will renovate the parking lot behind the Anoka County office on Central Avenue in Columbia Heights.

Construction Results Corporation, Plymouth, was awarded the contract not to exceed $58,400 for the work at the veterans service office.

According to Andrew Dykstra, county director of facilities management and construction, there has been a 118 percent increase in visits to the veterans office since 2004 and a 51 percent increase since 2007, resulting in additional employees and increased workload.

Indeed, County Commissioner Robyn West, who chairs the boards veterans service sub-committee, said that year-to-date veterans service office visits from 2011 and 2012 have jumped 16 percent.

Under the current configuration, there are four offices, but there are five veterans service officers in addition to a full-time receptionist and part-time administrative assistant, Dykstra wrote in a memo to the board.

The remodeling work will include construction of computer kiosks, which will allow veterans to begin the paperwork process saving the county time and resources over the long-term, he wrote.

In addition, secure space will be provided for files than contain sensitive information and accommodations made for wheelchairs or personal scooters, Dykstra wrote.

According to County Commissioner Matt Look, chairman of the boards Finance and Capital Improvements Committee, the office will be expanding to hallway space that is not in use.

The project cost will come from dollars in the Anoka County Building Fund.

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County moving ahead on building construction projects