1 week Ago
SIOUX CITY -- The Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center Authority continues to struggle with issues related to the mechanical engineering firm for the new county jail. The LEC Authority recently learned Mark Schaefer, the most recent head mechanical engineer for the project, left Introba as of April 11. Authority officials were not notified of his departure.
Schaefer was the fourth head mechanical engineer placed on the project since Introba was subcontracted by Goldberg Group Architects (GGA) to work on the project. Schaefer had been the director of the commercial mechanical engineering division in Introba, said Kevin Rost of GGA. The LEC Authority did not learn of Schaefer's departure until the Authority's own mechanical engineer, Corey Metzger, of Resource Engineering Consultants, reached out to him.
"The two spoke on April 4 about urgent issues regarding EF-1, and Corey expected to hear back within days. A week later, Corey had not heard anything. On April 15, when Corey called that day, Mark answered his phone and told Corey he left Introba as of April 11," The Authority's attorney, Jodie McDougal wrote in a Tuesday letter.
At that time, McDougal said Authority officials contacted their architect, GGA, and learned that GGA was unaware of Schaefer's departure and had not learned of a new engineer being placed on the project. "In other words, we have no idea who the new lead for the Project is at Introba, and the prior lead apparently left Introba nearly two weeks ago," McDougal wrote. "This is delay and lack of basic communication is absolutely unacceptable.
We need to know immediately who at Introba is leading this Project." Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird makes comments during an open house event for Woodbury County's new law enforcement center on Wednesday afternoon. Tim Hynds On Tuesday, Authority members learned of the latest turnover.
Without a lead mechanical engineer, some changes to the HVAC issues cannot be made. The first lead engineer on the project was Matt Simmons. Simmons was replaced by John Sommers after Simmons' "numerous errors were discovered," Authority Chair Ron Wieck wrote in a March 28, 2024, letter In a Feb.
9, 2024, letter, McDougal noted Sommers, had quit. “It appears to the Authority that either Project Manager Michelle Clemons (Who we do not believe is a P.E.
) and/or Ryan Cooper, P.E. (who has been out of school merely six years) is now taking the lead,” McDougal wrote.
Documents show Cooper took on the lead role, but two months later, the end of March, he also had quit. “The turnover and inconsistency on the project from Introba has been unbelievable,” Authority Chairman Ron Wieck wrote in a March 28, 2024, letter to Shea, which was also signed by Shane Albrecht of the Baker Group..
