Commissioners discuss courthouse asbestos, lead remediation and funding needs

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.