New projects coming to Yuma County

News 11’s Samantha Byrd shares exactly what renovations and buildings are in the works in the county

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - At Monday morning’s Yuma County Board of Supervisors meeting, the board voted to spend over $2 million on upcoming projects.

This includes an expansion and upgrade of the Yuma County Public Health Department and a new building for the University of Arizona cooperative extension.

“Chairman Porchas, Supervisor Simmons, we’re working with a total project budget for the health department for $27 million," stated Dave Hyland, who oversees county building projects.

The Board of Supervisors voted Monday to approve a design pre-construction phase contract for the Yuma County Public Health Department for just over $2 million. 

It also approved spending more than $96,000 for a preliminary design contract for the new University of Arizona cooperative extension building.

“University of Arizona leadership we have their approval again based on their preference. It needs to go to the board of regions for approval. We’re tentatively looking at a June approval time," said Hyland.

Chairman Porchas said the growth of the health department project is more than he anticipated. 

“We start talking about expansion and its expansion then it’s another new building totally separate but it’s going to be connected but it just it grows," said Chairman Martin Porchas, Yuma County Board of Supervisors.

He says the plans for the health department started during the COVID-19 pandemic, now, the project is even more expensive, leaving the board frustrated. 

“If we don’t plan ahead and talk about it and say this is what we need or this is what we can afford, we’re always going to be running into this," said Chairman Porchas.

Both projects selected Mortenson-Cunningham as the design-build team which was also approved at the meeting. 

As these two projects are both still in the design phase, there is no word when construction will begin.