Riley County (KS) to Negotiate with Architects on North EMS Station

Kristina Jackson

The Manhattan Mercury, Kan.

(MCT)

Riley County will negotiate with local architecture firm Anderson Knight Architects to construct a new EMS station in north county.

The Riley County Commission unanimously approved Monday moving forward with the firm. Anderson Knight received the highest score from the selection committee.

Public Works Director John Ellermann said the committee recommended Anderson Knight primarily because of its estimated timetable. Some others offered a timeline as long as two years, he said.

“Their availability and timetable was more reasonable,” Ellermann said.

The committee consisted of Riley County EMS Director David Adams, EMS Assistant Director Josh Gering, Planning and Development Director Amanda Webb, County Clerk Rich Vargo, Emergency Management Director Russel Stukey and Ellermann.

They issued a request for qualifications on March 7 and received responses from Anderson Knight of Manhattan, BBN Architects of Manhattan, BG Consultants of Manhattan, Bruce McMillan AIA Architects of Manhattan, and Tompkins Architects of Lee’s Summit, Missouri. They scored each firm on experience and qualifications, availability of staff, proposed project timeline, understanding of the project and the challenges, and their references.

Bruce McMillian came in a close second, so the commission discussed both options, but selected Anderson Knight because of their shorter timeline estimate.

“Time was of the essence because it’s not there,” Commissioner John Ford said. “(It’s not) replacing one or adding onto, it just simply doesn’t exist. … It might be better to go with those that are available just to get it done.”

Riley County EMS currently has four stations — all of them in Manhattan.

County officials previously determined they want to build a new station in Leonardville to address long wait times that north county residents say they experience for ambulance services.

The county will start interim EMS services this summer out of the Leonardville fire station.

The negotiations with Anderson Knight will include estimates for the cost of its work and the station.

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Riley County will negotiate with local architecture firm Anderson Knight Architects to construct a new EMS station in north county.

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