Commissioners mull infrastructure repairs

Alexis Barker
NLJ Reporter
 
Repairs to county infrastructure has been a topic of discussion among the Weston County commissioners and employees this year, and the conversation has only become more important as the county prepares the fiscal year 2020 budget. 
According to Steve Price, county maintenance professional, the cupola at the Weston County Courthouse and the stairs and ramp at the law enforcement center are the biggest concerns. 
“I had the dome (cupola) looked at, and I got a bid for $32,000,” Price said. “My personal feelings are if we could take care of that problem, it would take care of up there (leaking issues in the cupola).”
He noted that at a later time, when more funds are available, the rest of the cupola could be redone but that these repairs he feels would fix the leaking issue. 
“I think that sometime is now. If we keep putting this off, something else is going to happen. We are at the end of the budget year, and we can take a couple of these line items and have Steve (Price) get it done and over, and we can move onto something else. That way we are not worrying about the second-floor remodel,” Commissioner Marty Ertman said. 
She then moved to have Price get started on the roof project. 
Price said that he would have a contractor back to the courthouse because he was sure the estimate would be different now, although he could not see it being by “a bunch.” 
Commissioner Nathan Todd asked where the county was at with the ramp and stairway project at the law enforcement center and about potential funding for that project. 
“I think we should isolate funds available for these projects,” Commissioner Tracy Hunt said. “We can see how much is available and look at it. We can look at all the projects and see what we need to do. I respect Steve’s opinion on the roof.” 
Price said that he is at least 85 percent  sure that the repair to the cupola would fix the leaking in the cupola. 
“I know that area has lived its life and will need replaced real soon. It is a good place to start and may solve all our problems. I don’t think anyone can say for certain though,” Price said. 
Hunt said that while he hates to jeopardize the new remodel of the second floor of the courthouse, the county must balance the cupola repairs with the safety issues at the law enforcement center. 
“There is one that causes damage, and one that is a safety threat. We need to see how much money there is for all,” Hunt said. “We should be able to identify where the money is and how much is in the pile.” 
According to Ertman, the “beauty” is that the county will be doing the budget for fiscal year 2020 in the next “month or so” and that those monies can be identified then. 
“I am talking about doing this (the cupola) ASAP. I don’t think it can wait. There is money left in different line items,” Ertman said. “This list (of other repairs needed) can be worked on in the budget session to find funding and make it available for those.” 
Price said that he would rank the ramp and stairs at the law enforcement center highest on the priority list of needed repairs and not the courthouse dome. 
He said that the study on the ramp and stairs made the safety concerns clear and that they should not be used through another winter. 
“It seems like every day it is deteriorating more. It is down to strictly safety. Down there to me is a serious situation,” Price said. “We need to make sure we have the money for down there.”
 “I am on board with Marty about getting it done, but my one concern is with the email from Structural Dynamics that they recommend the stairs and ramp be replaced as soon as possible and in no case should they extend into the winter of 2020,” Commissioner Nathan Todd said. “What chance is there of getting someone in after July? It almost looks like we should jump on it immediately.” 
Ertman said that the she thinks the county can get on the project now and that the money would not have to be spent until after July, when the fiscal 2020 budget begins. 
“I have no problem making it the priority, but we will not pay until after July. We can spend the money for the roof that is encumbered now in this budget,” Ertman said. 
Commissioner Ed Wagoner said he agreed with having the roof done. He said that even though the law enforcement center ramp and stairs are the top priority, money would not be expended until after the beginning of the next fiscal year. 
“Use the leftover money to get the roof done now. It is No. 2, but get it done now because the funds are available,” Wagoner said. 
Hunt asked Ertman and Wagoner to “show him the money.” 
“It is not going to make more or less money. We have X amount and I don’t know why we are arguing over the end of the budget year necessarily,” Hunt said. “We need to know how much money we have.” 
Ertman said that she has two line items in mind that could be cleared out for the roof project, one with $30,000 left in it and the other having $17,500 left. She said that both are the 1 percent capital projects and the courthouse repairs line item and that neither of those are used as “balance accounts.”
Chairman Tony Barton added that the county could engage Structural Dynamics to engineer the design proposal for the law enforcement ramp and stairs and that project could go out to bid in July. Barton estimated the project will cost $200,000 to $250,000. 
The commissioners approved a motion allowing Price to initiate the courthouse roof project if it was within 10 percent of the $32,000 originally quoted in June of last year. 
Price said that the next priority should then be the ramp and stairs at the law enforcement center and that the county should also consider replacing the sidewalks in conjunction with the building. 
“I understand the necessity of getting it done; but when you say $250,000, I feel that we almost have to go ask for a SLIB (State Land and Investment Board) grant,” Ertman said. “I think that is scary. We need to figure out what it is going to cost, and we need to somehow find a grant for this or find another way to get into that building.” 
The county has road and bridge projects that also need completed, she said. 
“There is no other way. With the security of that building, there is no choice of how you get into the building. I don’t believe there is an option to use the back door,” Price said. 
“Fair enough,” Ertman said. 
The commissioners approved a motion to move forward with Structural Dynamics for a design proposal for the ramp and stairway, with an associated estimated cost of $9,900. 
“We can put the budget numbers together, and they can present us with the two options. Then we would choose to move forward with one or two then they would create the documents to go out to bid,” Barton said.