County Building Projects Discussed

North Side Stretch of Sidewalk at Courthouse

“The new courthouse boiler has been installed but it hasn’t been filled with a chemical mix. We’re going to wait until the fall to do that and give it a test run,” stated Kirk Powers, Building Operations Supervisor to the Prowers County Commissioners on Tuesday, July 21. Powers was providing an update on some current projects underway in his department. The old boiler, consisting of 14 sections, each weighing several hundred pounds, was removed with a crane this past spring. One of the sections had developed a lengthy crack, and at that point, it was time for a replacement. Powers said the chiller used to cool the courthouse is still in use until this fall. “Once we get to that point, we’ll charge the system over two weeks, fire the boiler and test the entire system, but fall is the best time to do this,” he explained. Powers added that a local contractor will be brought in to re-align the chimney to the new unit so it meets all code requirements.

Wrangling the Boiler Section out of the Cellar

In a similar area, Powers said the new fans at the county fairgrounds pavilion are up and running and “moving some serious air.” He added, “right now, they’re at about 50% output because there’s a computerized chip that is giving a false reading on the plumb and levelling position of the fans, and when that happens, the fans automatically shut off.” He said the company’s engineers are working on the software and he expects the situation to be fixed. Powers said the project was budgeted for $45,000 but came in just over $25,000 which saved the county some money. “We’re also doing upgrades at the fairgrounds with the fair right around the corner, taking out dead trees and installing a gate at a corner of the fairgrounds for the new beer garden.” Some other areas include painting and the City of Lamar is laying some asphalt on the center strip along the grandstand and rear wall which should improve appearances for this August.

Anyone walking into the courthouse from any entry will notice a deterioration of the concrete sidewalks and a repair project is in the works. Powers said, “The sidewalks, a section of the driveway to Main Street by the jail, their entire driveway for freight deliveries and trash pick-up is all in bad shape.” Powers said muddy soil will be hauled away and replaced with two feet of compacted fill as a base and the new concrete will be reinforced by rebar, ”This project should be good for 100 years when it’s complete.” Commissioner Wendy Buxton-Andrade asked about the status of the project in light of pedestrian traffic expected for the November elections, especially for handicapped accessibility. He added that the City of Lamar will take measurements of curb and gutter for the east parking lot and it may not be until September or October before any asphalt work can be done on the lot, “However, the plant may be shut down by the time they can get to us,” he cautioned.

Shake Shingles on WPA Roof

Two bids were opened for a roof replacement project for the WPA buildings on East Maple Street, but any action was tabled for additional information. The commissioners wanted an accurate accounting of what percentage is given to a local contractor when their bid is compared to one from outside the county area.

By Russ Baldwin