CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – It’s back to the drawing board for plans for the proposed Clarion County Courthouse renovation and annex project after Clarion County Commissioners voted to take a step back and review plans in light of projected costs higher than originally anticipated.Commissioner Butch Campbell offered a motion to not accept the final design submitted by the EADS Group, and instead look at a potential redesign that would provide cost savings. The motion was approved by all three commissioners, Wayne Brosius, Greg Faller, and Campbell.
“The board of commissioners know that something needs to be done, but what needs to be done, and can we afford it,” said Faller. “As a board of commissioners, we’ve been more concerned if we can afford it, and as we moved forward to the final design numbers, we were coming in over what we felt we could afford.”
Instead of the earlier projections of $8 million for the project, estimated costs for the project are now between $10 million and $11 million, primarily because of site preparation costs such as storm water management, a review of the sewage system connected to the courthouse that is much worse than originally “guessed,” and a core sample of the ground on the proposed annex site.
“We want to stick to that $8 million figure or less, and the estimates with the ‘final’ design are making us take a step back and delay the timeline,” said Brosius.
“No, we are not stopping anything,” said Campbell. “We are not stopping the process and are moving forward. We are considering all options as we have continually throughout the process.”
(Photo: proposed courthouse renovation and annex project on right)
“There have been comments made that the annex was a done deal. Nothing has been a done deal until it’s put out for contract. It has to stay fluid. Initial estimates were given as to what they thought it would cost, and as we’ve moved forward and added things to the building and the newer potential issues, things are changing and continually changing until we’re ready to put it out for bid.”
Costs for work by EADS to date in relation to the project are estimated between $56,000 and $57,000, according to figures provided by the commissioners after Clarion County Concerned Citizens at the meeting raised the question.
Asked about the total costs so far in pursuing renovation and annex, Financial Director Donna Reinsel estimated those costs at $401,000.00. Reinsel’s projection also included work conducted by the past set of commissioners starting in 2008. The previous group also contracted for a feasibility study for renovation of the courthouse without an annex, but that study was rejected by the current set of commissioners.
“I’m still looking forward to get the second courtroom as one of the major things that the judge has indicated he needs and also the 911/OES Center also still needs something done in that regard,” said Brosius. “We’d like to see something moving forward and taking care of those problems but maybe not dealing with all the other things that we’ve had presented in the plan.”
Storm Water Management
Local contractor Bob Lewis asked if the storm water management has been properly taken care of for the new project.
“It has been looked at, and to do the storm water program for that building, there has to be a line run down Madison to Fourth Avenue down to Liberty Street, and that would be at considerable expense,” said Faller. “At this point, they do have issue of the water that will be generated from the annex and how to reduce the amount of volume and the system will absorb it, and that’s also worked into the plan. I don’t know if it’s been worked out to final detail, but it has been worked out as to where it has to go, what it has to do, and the cost, and it meets the regulations. To do that, it was approaching between $350,000.00 and $400,000.00.”
Lewis asked what depth would be required to hold the storm water retention, but Faller said he didn’t know but would find out.
Core Sample Results
Concerned Citizen Ron Switzer questioned what type of surface was revealed by the core sample taken for the project and if there was as significant amount of bedrock as rumored and that could cause increased costs.
“It (the surface) was adequate for putting a foundation,” said Campbell. “We’re not going to add a significant basement if the annex is built where it’s proposed.”
Sewage Adds to Costs
Campbell said the commissioners hired a firm to look into the sewer pipes.
“We found that the courthouse sewage lines were in much, much worse condition than had originally been guessed. Things like that added to the cost, and we’re just not prepared to spend right now.”
Do we need a second courtroom?
Nancy Banner asked if an additional courtroom is really needed.
“Do we often have two trials going on at one time?” she asked.
Brosius stated a second courtroom is needed because the current one is not functional as a courtroom “for trials and things like that.”
Campbell said that according to the judge, we do need one, there is a significant period of time that we have two judges in Clarion County, and it’s just too small.
“There’s a lot of things happening with family, juvenile, and probation that require court appearances that parties are meeting, but there’s no jury present,” said Faller.
Something needs to be done
“As we said earlier, we all know something has to be done,” said Howie Schmader, one of the organizers of Clarion County Concerned Citizens. “That is one of our main thoughts here, but the magnitude of all this is what we look at. When we talk about this, we wonder where this is all coming from. You’re taking very expensive floor space to put a 911 center, and a simple concrete block building out here in the country could be used. It’s things like that we look it. We’re not saying you’re doing anything wrong or approaching it wrong or whatever.”
Sweat and blood of Clarion County
“My concern in our county is what we’re leaving for our children and our grandchildren who are growing up in this county,” said Banner. “You people are responsible for managing the sweat and the blood that your county residents have generated through their work.”
“We’re just asking for the most prudent use of the sweat and blood of the county. There are some people in this county that still have dirt floors in their homes.”
“I don’t think that most of the people here associate with that element that’s struggling to live, but I’ve seen it, and it’s heartbreaking. Because of that issue, and in our schools, so many of our children are on free and reduced lunches….we’re talking 80 percent in one school district. It’s heartbreaking to consider perhaps doing something we don’t need to do, if we could tighten our belts and look at more frugal responses with our money.”
“I’m not criticizing you guys, I think you have the hardest job in the world.”
