The county’s plan to demolish and replace the condemned grandstand at the Mower County Fairgrounds took a few more small steps forward.

While a company was finishing abating asbestos and other hazardous material from the structure this week, county officials met with contractors to receive estimates for how much a new structure will cost.

Estimates call for a structure to cost at least $200,000, with a low estimate call for a bare-bones grandstand to cost about $200 per seat, according to County Coordinator Craig Oscarson. Various add-ons could raise the cost. A roof on the structure could add $125 more per seat, and backrests could add $60 per seat.

The county is currently discussing at least a 1,000-seat grandstand, but the fair board would like it larger than that. After the structure is built, the county could add more seats. But adding a roof and other amenities later would be more costly than to include them in the original plans.

Oscarson said the county will likely take bids for a contractor once the board decides on a building scheme. He expects the current structure to come down in January and work on the new structure to begin this spring.

 

New radio systems to cost city, county $140K each

The county board received an update Thursday on how much it may cost to purchase three new 800 MHz radio units in dispatch.

The units being purchased to bring the county up to speed with the Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response will cost about $580,000, with the county and city each paying about $140,000 of the costs. The county is receiving grant dollars to pay for the rest of the costs.

The city council is expected to approve its portion before the end of the year.

The Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response fully commits the county to join ARMER, which all the other counties in southeast Minnesota already use.