County cuts bond issue by nearly $2 million

The amount of a bond issue for Gage County Courthouse renovations has been slashed by nearly $2 million.

The Gage County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday unanimously voted to reduce the amount of a bond issue for the courthouse work from $4.08 million to approximately $2.13 million after removing several items from the project list.

Gage County residents will be voting on the bond issue as part of the May 13 primary election ballot.

At Wednesday’s Gage County Board of Supervisors meeting, the supervisors voted 7-0 in favor of approving a specific list of items that will be done to the courthouse if the bond issue passes.

However, with several items removed from the tentative budget that was discussed at the Jan. 16 meeting, the estimated cost of the items on the bond issue will now be approximately $2.13 million, not including such costs to be determined later as architectural and engineering fees, bidding and advertising expenses and insurance.

This amount is approximately $1.95 million less than the estimated $4.08 million cost of the project before the items were removed.

At the Jan. 16 County Board meeting, county officials said the bond issue was expected to cost $4.5 million, which would cover the $4.08 million cost as well as bonding fees, the cost of paying the architect and engineer, bidding and advertising expenses and insurance.

The main item the bond issue will cover is replacing the roof at an estimated cost of $334,000, or $546,000 minus a $212,000 insurance claim the county received after the current roof was damaged in a 2006 hailstorm.

While the $546,000 estimate would be the approximate cost of a copper roof, the County Board has not decided what type of roofing material will be used.

Supervisor Ron Fleecs, chairman of the county’s buildings and grounds committee, explained the copper roof estimate is being used because, as the most expensive alternative, it will ensure enough money is available in the bond issue should the board approve that option.

Other items to be included in the bond issue are replacing the heating and cooling system at an estimated cost of $764,000; installing a fire suppression system expected to cost $98,000; installing a complete fire alarm system for $41,000; replacing all courthouse windows for $460,000 and replacing the entire electrical and lighting system for $348,000.

Items that are no longer being included in the bond issue include an inspection of the masonry surface and repointing the exterior of the courthouse, as well as replacement of the courthouse elevator and any deteriorated plumbing.

In addition, a plan to insulate and renovate the courthouse attic so that it could be used for storage has been removed.

Fleecs said the items should be viewed merely as a listing of separate projects related to the courthouse renovation and not as a priority list.

He also said determining which projects could be left out of the overall renovation was done with the recommendation of the various consultants who have worked with the buildings and grounds committee throughout the planning stages.

“We’re trying to get the best value for our buck at the time we will be doing this,” Fleecs said. “We’re not going to do something where we look back two years later and talk about how we should have done that when we did this.”

Supervisor Gary Barnard then asked Fleecs about what effect placing a new roof on the courthouse would have on the annual holiday lighting ceremony.

Barnard said while the majority of the holiday display remains mounted on the exterior of the courthouse throughout the year, some lights and wires are still strung each year that often become damaged or frayed by the weather or vandals.

Commenting that changes could be made to the holiday display while the roof is being replaced, Barnard suggested possibly using a fiber optic display that would be more permanent and less susceptible to vandals.

Supervisor David Anderson agreed with Barnard’s comment on the holiday lights and suggested the building and grounds committee meet with representatives of the winter lights committee before making a decision as to what type of roofing material should be used.

Anderson then noted estimates have indicated an asphalt roof that is expected to last 50 years would only cost $347,000.

However, Barnard said the building and grounds committee has already determined the copper roof would be the cheaper alternative in the long run as it would last even longer than asphalt.

“We’re back to where we were and I think that is why sometimes we don’t get anything done,” Barnard said. “If we don’t get something done and move forward on this, we’ll be doing the same thing 10 years from now. We can’t get bogged down on the small issues or we won’t get anything done.”

Before the vote was taken, Fleecs restated he simply put the highest possible cost of the roof in the bond issue, which happens to be the copper alternative.

“I’ll tell you one thing, the dang roof has to be fixed,” Fleecs said. “If the cost ends up being something else, then it will be something else.”