Commissioner Kevin Overmyer’s request to the County Council last week to appropriate another $1.5 million in the Rainy-Day fund next year for the additional repairs needed for the courthouse clock tower was not far off. 

During a special meeting of the Marshall County Commissioners on Wednesday, Jamie Giguere, Project Manager from Midwest Maintenance presented the commissioner with two change orders.  Change order number three is for $39,742.25 is to replace the steel beam under the main exterior staircase on the east side of the building.  The second change order for the courthouse clock tower was $1,494,246.60 which includes a credit of $74,100 for not stripping the tower.   

During the meeting Brian Stull from Stull Woodworks of Troy, Ohio discussed his recommendation on the wood that would be used to replicate everything that would be replaced.  He said Accoya wood is a simple white pine that is grown in New Zealand on plantations, harvested and shipped to the Netherlands where it is processed by acetylication which strengthens it and removes the food sources for bacteria and fungi.   Accoya is warranted against fungal decay for at least 50 years above ground.

Stull said they will spend a couple of days on site to take pictures and precise measurements of the decorative and intricate work so that it can be replicated over the winter months and then delivered to the courthouse in the spring for reinstallation.  He went on to say, “Every detail will be exactly as it is right now.”

   

The initial contract with Midwest Maintenance was to have the project completed in 180 days which would have been the end of October.  The change order will require an extra 270 days to complete the additional work with the completion scheduled for the end of July 2022.

The Marshall County Commissioners approved a motion to accept change order #3 in the amount of $39,742.25 to replace the steel beam under the east steps of the courthouse and change order #4 in the amount of $1,494,246.60 for the additional work on the courthouse clocktower.

County Attorney Jim Clevenger reminded the commissioners that down-payments will be required for the additional work and materials.   The estimate for the wood was $240,000 and Jamie Giguere said he would send an invoice to the county for the stored materials.  To date the county has paid $310,635.46 on the courthouse renovation project.       

Commissioner Klotz did say, “I would say, this is a lot of money but it beats the daylights out of $30 to $40 million to build a new building.”