Not far away, city department heads, employees and Times-Republican reporters were touring, closely watching progress. The one-hour tour of the two-story building hosted by construction manager Story Construction of Ames, had been scheduled well in advance, but it came on the heels of Monday’s announcement from Public Works Director Justin Nickel that the project was two months behind schedule.

Contractor and weather issues will delay occupancy until the estimated date of March 1, 2019. The city anticipated occupancy Jan. 1, 2019 throughout the design and construction process.

“I would have liked to be in Dec. 1,” Marshalltown Fire Chief David Rierson said.

Regardless, Rierson said he was pleased with the construction work he saw on the tour. He and Marshalltown Police Chief Mike Tupper said they’d rather have it done right than get in there early and not have everything completed.

T-R PHOTO BY EMILY BARSKE - The new facility has a few cells to detain someone at the station if necessary.

Tour conductor Ethan Dix of Story Construction led off the tour showing seven vehicle bays which will used by the fire department as an electrical contractor dug into the ground in advance of installing lines. Vehicles will enter the bays from the west, and exit onto Anson Street, Rierson said.

Fire trucks will carry equipment which will turn all stop lights red at the Anson Street/Center Street intersection and one stop light planned for High Street/Sixth Street.

At Large Councilor and project watchdog Bill Martin said afterwards he too was pleased with with the work he saw. Martin had publicly thanked Dix at Monday’s city council meeting for the latter taking Martin on site and explaining to him the facility’s roof construction — an item Martin has followed closely since the project entered the critical design phase prepared by Prochaska and Associates of Omaha, Nebraska.

As workers representing different trades went up and down large ladders, Dix showed the delegation the police side — where suspects will be booked, detectives will work, evidence stored and records kept.

The project broke ground in October last year, and soon workers began arriving.

T-R PHOTOS BY EMILY BARSKE - Marshalltown Fire Chief David Rierson walks around the site on Sept. 12. He and others from the the Marshalltown Police Department and Marshalltown Fire Department will occupy the building in March, when it is now expected to be done.

“Forty percent of the estimated 200 workers on site live in Marshalltown,” Dix said. “They are employed by local and regional companies.”

Dix told the group he and a colleague meet with contractors daily to check a color-coded grid which lists all contractors and project progress.

“Safety is at the top of the agenda every meeting,” Dix said. “We have had only one accident where a worker was taken to the hospital.”

Dix and other company representatives have regularly briefed the city council on the project since groundbreaking.

While the project has an estimated cost of $17.5 million, voters approved the financing referendum of a not-to-exceed cost of that amount. The city council and staff have worked with Story Construction as bids came in to keep costs as low as possible.

T-R PHOTO BY EMILY BARSKE - The building’s exterior is nearing completion and then work finishing rooms like this one will complete the project.

Wednesday’s tour came almost 11 months after formal groundbreaking. At the ceremony, then Mayor Jim Lowrance was joined by Tupper, Rierson and Martin, who all thanked Marshalltown residents who supported the project with a dramatic “yes” vote of 2,273 to 1,215 in August 2016. Yes votes equaled 65.17 percent to 34.83 percent no.

The affirmative votes easily exceeded the 60 percent threshold required by Iowa law for passage. The vote came nearly 15 months after a disappointing defeat for a new police-only facility slated for the Old Crosby Pool site on South Sixth Street.

Given a lot of credit for the turn of events was a second 15-member Citizens Advisory Committee chaired by local attorney Paul Peglow of Peglow, O’Hare and See.

“This groundbreaking was made possible only by the extensive public interest and support,” Martin said. “As a city councilor, I welcome this day.”

Lowrance, Tupper, Rierson and Martin also touched on the improved efficiencies the facility will provide.

T-R PHOTO BY EMILY BARSKE - Workers continue progress on the joint facility for the Marshalltown Police Department and Marshalltown Fire Department.

“It will provide accessibility and safety for the public, ample parking and meeting and training space in its centralized location,” Martin said, adding that it would benefit recruitment and retention.

Rierson said the facility will have an economic development impact as well.

“We (fire department) will be hosting training programs for other departments in the state,” he said. “Those sessions will benefit area restaurants and hotels.”

Tupper said he was thrilled MPD staff, including E-911 staff, would have a professional facility to do their jobs. Discussions on remodeling the present police building at 22 N. Center or constructing new headquarters began approximately 12 years ago. Those efforts would foreshadow the need later for a cost-effective, centrally-located joint facility.

The MPD moved into their current facility — the former Northwestern Bell Telephone Co. building — with a force of 40 in 1982. Over the years, staffing increased to present day 60, and lack of room became a major liability.

T-R PHOTO BY EMILY BARSKE - Tour attendees sport hard hats and safety goggles for protection as the site continues to be worked on.

Tupper, whose first day on the job was Oct. 31, 2011, was candid during both campaigns about numerous deficiencies at the 22 N. Center St. facility ranging from the lack of a space for private personnel records, an inadequate evidence collection room and lack of segregated areas for crime victims and suspects.

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Contact Mike Donahey at 641-753-6611 or mdonahey@timesrepublican.com