Logan County Courthouse renovation plans take shape
Fountain and playground equipment to get replacements

 

[July 13, 2020] 

At the Building and Grounds Committee meeting Tuesday, July 7, the committee heard updates from Bill Walter of Masonry Restoration Technologies & Services, LLC.

The time has come where Walter rapidly needs to assemble the scope of work and the basis for design as far as HVAC, computer control system, security and related items.

Walter handed out a flow chart that shows the expected organizational structure for the restoration project. It shows how Walter sees the project being laid out and sets up a structure for proper checks and balances. Additionally, it explains who will be responsible for what areas and how the contact will happen between the committees and various individuals.

The Logan County Board is at the top of the structure. They are followed by the Building and Grounds Committee, which in turn will work hand in hand with the Technical Committee. Building and Grounds Committee Chairman David Blankenship is the contact point. Blankenship will keep in close contact with Bill Walter, who is acting as Project Manager/Design Professional. Walter will also be working closely with the Technical Committee chaired by Blankenship and the Construction Transition Committee, which will be put together soon.

At the next level will be the Performance Contractor and Construction Management.

The Performance Contractor will be working with energy items such as HVAC, associated electric, LED lighting, windows and building automation systems. These services will be needed to help secure additional grants and incentives secured by MRTS and ESCO (Energy Savings Contractor) professional(s) and will be 100 percent transparent.

Walter wants to bring the Performance Contractor professional on board so the contractor can begin the basis for design and the assembly of materials and vendors for approval from the technical committee.

The Technical Committee would report back to the Buildings and Grounds Committee and the full board. In most cases, Blankenship said he would assume the Technical Committee would be looking at more than one option for design and other areas, so the board can choose from those options.

The Construction Management services will be bid out and will include site improvements, building construction, external building restoration, interior renovations, plumbing and electrical work.

Walter wants to have continuity with the performance contractor and construction management.

Walter is working to assemble the scope of the work. Sometime In the next couple of weeks, he will be meeting with Blankenship, engineers and the Technical Committee.

As he meets with the others, Walter will start to disseminate procedures, materials and systems.

Blankenship asked about whether the performance contractor they choose would be working with local contractors.

Walter said he has emphasized that they need to work with contractors, laborers and professional tradesmen from within a 25 to 50-mile radius.

The County Board would make the final decisions on contractors. Blankenship said it is important to the board to keep workers as local and regional as possible.

All the services will be bid out and Walter said the board would be privy to all the responses, contractors and vetting information. The Buildings and Grounds Committee would pare down what would be the acceptable package.

Blankenship asked if construction manager risk was acceptable to the other committee members. He said without that method, you lose a lot of checks and balances.

Committee member Scott Schaffenacker said he is comfortable with the flow chart. He asked who would be on the Technical Committee and Transition Committee.

The Technical Committee will be made up of Walter, Blankenship and a few others with experience with large projects. Blankenship has already talked to a local person who has been a construction project manager for over 20 years and overseen other large projects. He plans to talk to a couple others with several years of experience working with projects.

The Transition Committee has not been put together yet. This committee will be made up of county employees will be taking care of relocations, storage, IT and anything that keeps the customer service portion of the courthouse going.

Walter will continue periodically meeting with these committees over the upcoming months as restoration work begins.

The board will be discussing a potential performance contractor and construction management at upcoming board meetings.

Payment drop boxes

Drop boxes for payments to the Treasurer and County Clerk’s Offices will soon be installed.

For the installation of the drop boxes at the courthouse, Walter has come up with a design idea.

Part of the plan is to replace the current perimeter retaining wall approximate to the sidewalk. At the expanded locations in front of each entrance, Walter said the new retaining wall would turn and go towards the building about six feet at a right angle.

The structure will include a footer, foundation and stone. Walter said the stone and brick in this wall will match the rest of the courthouse exterior. Within the six feet, Walter said they can decide which of the walls to utilize for the two drop boxes and put them in the retaining wall.

Efforts are underway to incorporate the drop boxes into the restoration.

Walter will be providing periodic updates to the board throughout the restoration process.

Update on Scully Park fountain

Last year, the board received a bid to fix the fountain in Scully Park, but chose not to take action at that time. Blankenship said, over the years there has been a lot of money spent on repairs to the fountain due to its design.

After looking the fountain over again more recently, Walter has come with a plan for the fountain. Walter is looking at using a direct current (DC) motor, which he said is better. He said all electric and plumbing will need to be removed and installed new. LED and colored lights can be installed and operational costs will be minimal.

Walter thinks a drain can be made in the existing concrete body of the fountain and still maintain the historic look. He will make a list of options for the spray from the fountain and that will determine the motor size and the number of gallons per minute for the capacity. These would help determine the wiring harness that would accompany the pump.

Blankenship asked whether the current piping and pump would be removed too. When they drain the fountain each fall, Blankenship said, there would not be concerns about the piping freezing. He asked Walter for a projection of costs.

Walter said the piping and would be removed. He expects demolition and installation costs to be between $7,000 and $11,000. Blankenship said the Building and Grounds Committee has some line items these funds could come out of. Logan County Board Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Ruben is researching to see where to take the funds from.

When they looked at costs for the fountain repairs last year, Blankenship said it was thousands of dollars.

Logan County Board Insurance Administrator Brenda Clark asked if the Scully Foundation could be contacted since they put the fountain in. She thought they might have funds available to help with the project.

Both Blankenship and Walter said the fountain will be more modern and safer after renovation. It will also require much less maintenance.

Blankenship asked for a spending limit.

Committee member David Hepler motioned to approve up to $11,000 for renovations including any Scully Foundation funding.

The topic will be brought forward for more discussion at the board workshop Thursday, July 16.

Playground equipment for Latham Park

Last summer, playground equipment at Latham Park was destroyed when a tree fell. Clark said insurance sent out a check for $37,457 to replace the playground equipment. After looking at various playground equipment, Clark said American Parks Company seemed to be the most economical. They had both a special deal and free shipping.

At the lower price, the county will be able to purchase two pieces of playground equipment. The cost for both after insurance reimbursement would be $991.

Blankenship said the equipment will require concrete piers to be put in too.

The contractor may be able to assemble it.

With the install, Davenport said she thought the county portion may be more than $1,000.

Hepler motioned to approve up to $40,000 for the two pieces of playground equipment with the insurance reimbursement covering most of the costs.

[Angela Reiners]