Bid awarded for college wind center

A unanimous vote by Mesalands Community College trustees on Tuesday starts the process on the construction of the North American Wind Research and Training Center.

In a special meeting, Dean of Administrative Services David Gallatin presented a motion to the trustees to award the bid for the center to Gerald Martin Contracting of Albuquerque.

“Gerald Martin was one of 10 companies that bid on Mesaland’s Wind Center,” Gallatin said.”

Gerald Martin’s bid was for $5.2 million. The college had $7 million from general obligation bonds, which were approved by voters in November of 2008.

“This is an excellent bid for the college,” Mesalands President Phillip O. Barry said. “This will provide stimulus to the college, Tucumcari and the state.”

Barry said the money left over from the construction can be used to furnish the center with equipment and furniture.

The 10 bids for the centers contract were reviewed by a three-member committee of Gallatin, Hal Barnett of ASA Architects, of Albuquerque and architect Randall Kilmer of Kilmer and Associates of Clovis.

Kilmer and Associates designed the plans for the center. The center will be a 26,385-square-foot building, which will be divided into two sections.

Part of the building (12,697 square feet) will be dedicated for a workshop/garage area large enough to work on the wind turbine components.

The second portion of the building (13,688 square feet) will be used for classrooms, lecture hall, laboratories and offices.

Construction is scheduled to begin within 45 days and is expected to be completed next September.