County staff updated commissioners on planned asbestos and lead remediation at the Freestone County Courthouse and reviewed contractor bids and contingency needs.

Speaker 1 said the county had a contractor scheduled to inspect 23,300 square feet of courthouse space and provide a remediation report. The court discussed bids received: staff said RJK quoted a price that was about $180,000 lower overall than the next bidder and about $160,000 lower on an alternate for the fire-suppression system. The presenter said RJK had been the second-lowest bidder initially and became the low bidder after the lowest bidder withdrew; scheduling and potential work-arounds for occupied floors were part of RJK's timeline considerations.

Why it matters: staff reminded the court it must submit a funding letter and supporting paperwork by Dec. 1 to pursue additional funding. Using current day-rate numbers and accounting for an existing grant and a county match of $859,000, staff said the county's required additional funding would be about $3,136,212 before contingency adjustments. Staff also noted a previously installed roof (described as over $300,000) that may be eligible for inclusion in grant calculations, which could reduce the county's ask.

Other facilities issues discussed included quotes for HVAC units and recurring interior water damage. Speaker 1 said the county has experienced plaster and paint damage on multiple occasions and will either seek contractor reimbursement or have the contractor perform repairs at their expense.

Next steps: staff will finalize the bid selection, clarify contingencies and complete the funding paperwork to meet the Dec. 1 submission deadline.