The start of construction on office space at the Rowan County Airport could be less than a month away.

County Commissioners on Monday approved a $607,723 contract with Carpenter Construction Co., of Oakboro in Stanly County, to build a 4,200-square-foot office space for aircraft charter company Strategic Moves LLC.

The contract’s base price is $576,416. Commissioners approved three alternates that bring the price up to the total. One alternate is for a paved parking lot and totals $18,155, the second is $3,849 for a window with a fire shutter into an aircraft hangar, and the third is $9,303 for an improved office entry.

The contract costs represents $141.56 per square foot, according to a letter from architect Bill Burgin, whose firm is overseeing the project.

During Monday’s meeting, County Manager Aaron Church said the second alternate, a window into a hangar, could be deducted from $50,000 in “up-fit assistance” that was part of a relocation agreement for the company to move from Statesville to Salisbury.

Church estimates construction could start by Nov. 1.

The office space will be adjacent to a 15,000-square-foot hangar at the airport that’s been leased to Strategic Moves. It’s the largest hangar at the airport.

Commissioners only briefly discussed the hangar contract before unanimously voting to approve it.

Commissioner Judy Klusman asked whether the county always picks the lowest bid for contracts. The highest bid was nearly $700,000.

Responding to the question, Commissioner Craig Pierce said certain safeguards exist to ensure the quality of work. He said a low price shouldn’t be an issue unless it’s “way in the basement.” Pierce said the fact that bids for the office space were within $100,000 of each other gave him confidence commissioners would receive the quality of work they were asking for.

In other business from Monday’s agenda:

• Commissioners went into closed session to discuss a lawsuit over retirement compensation for a sheriff’s deputy who was transferred to the Rowan County Jail.

The sheriff’s deputy served on patrol for a number of years before being transferred to the jail in 2004. The employee retired in 2013.

A focal point of the lawsuit is that the employee’s retirement classification was changed when he was transferred to the jail. However, he remained a sworn deputy and maintained his certifications. As a result of the change, the contributions into the deputy’s retirement account were lower than they would have been otherwise.

Commissioners exited closed session without voting to take action.

• Commissioners approved a change to the county’s personnel ordinance.

The change in the personnel ordinance will give county employees three days off for Christmas instead of two and its makes a number of other wording changes related to holidays.

The change will bring Rowan County into compliance with the N.C. Office of Human Resources.

• Commissioners scheduled a hearing for Nov. 2 on a request to rezone a tract of land on Old U.S. Highway 70 near Cleveland from manufactured home park to rural agricultural.

• Commissioners approved giving the town of Granite Quarry a right-of-way easement for construction of a waterline from Charmandy Drive that will cross county property.

The waterline would extend into a new industrial park adjacent to Gildan’s manufacturing plant near Heilig Road.

 Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.