Plans to expand Pulaski County Emergency Medical Services’ Winamac ambulance garage have attracted three construction bids. TM Construction of Winamac was the apparent low bidder at just under $77,000. The highest bid was almost three times that, with J. Shoffner General Contractor of LaPorte submitting a bid for more than $221,000. Garner Construction of Hanna offered to do the work for less than $102,000.
The bids were opened during Monday’s county commissioners meeting. The commissioners voted to have EMS Director Brandon DeLorenzo and County Attorney Kevin Tankersley review them, before making a decision at their next meeting.
The 40-by-50-foot addition will bring the garage up to a total of four bays. The expansion has been discussed for years, since the county’s ambulances can barely fit in the existing space. Quotes were received back in 2017, but the county council and commissioners were concerned about the cost, which, at the time, was expected to be about $109,000.
That prompted the EMS Department to scale plans back, removing several items, including additional sleeping space. More recently, another step was added when it was discovered that the project would require formal architectural plans and a design release.
