Commissioners plan for upgrades

COLFAX – Since the end of 2019, a variety of upgrades and replacements have been discussed to possibly occur at the county courthouse and jail during the summer of this year.

The overall project was expected to include upgrades or replacement to the courthouse roof, HVAC, elevator, windows and doors, jail plumbing, electricity, jail facade, generators, etc.

Project costs estimated to approximately $8.6 million if all aspects of the project were to be completed. Although in light of the coronavirus pandemic, uncertainty on the county's financial standing is requiring the project to be approached differently.

At the Monday, April 27, commissioner workshop, McKinstry Co., the company that is behind the projects, presented five different scenarios of possible projects aspects that can be completed.

Since the last meeting with McKinstry, the economic climate has changed vastly.

The first scenario, which was noted is not probable to happen, is doing all the planned projects at one time, instead of spacing them out. From the first scenario, the four additional scenarios branched out.

Scenario two, which contains the projects that McKinstry felt were the main priority items, is roofing to the courthouse, plumbing at the jail and generator upgrade. This scenario would cost approximately $2.4 million.

Scenario three would include the courthouse roofing and the generator upgrade and cost approximately $1.1 million. Scenario four would be courthouse roofing and plumbing for the jail and would cost approximately $1.9 million.

The last scenario would include the HVAC upgrade, roofing and asbestos abatement.

Whitman County Administrative Services Director Gary Petrovich said with the current leaks in the courthouse he would place the roofing as a top priority item, with plumbing upgrades at the jail being the next item to address.

All three commissioners agreed with Petrovich on priorities for this project.

“These are incredibly difficult times,” said Whitman County Commissioner Michael Largent. “We have no idea the kind of cash reserves we need to keep and we don't know the type of revenue that would be coming in within this year.”

In previous finance planning meetings for this project, Whitman County Treasurer Chris Nelson said that she looked into and applied for a local program at the state level that would be able to help finance the project.

Nelson said, during the most recent workshop, no matter which scenario is chosen, she doesn't believe it would make a difference with the state funding.

“I can revamp our application once we have more definite numbers,” Nelson said.

Largent mentioned the commissioners won't have more certainty in the future as they do now. He said once the commissioners narrow down on just one scenario, then they can look toward the different funding options.

Knowing the scenarios the commissioners are leaning towards, McKinstry said they will be able to create more detailed plans around these scenarios and have them back to the commissioners within the week.