Commissioners make final decision on upgrades

COLFAX – Whitman County Commissioners decided on which scenario they would like for the courthouse/jail upgrades at their May 18 board meeting.

With a unanimous vote, the commissioners decided to go with the first scenario they received, from McKinstry Co., which includes roofing upgrades to the courthouse and plumbing and lighting upgrades to the jail.

The commissioners were presented with two scenarios at a workshop meeting at the beginning of the month. The second scenario presented only included roofing upgrades to the courthouse.

“Both of these projects are necessary,” said County Commissioner Art Swannack. “We've been fighting these issues for the past couple of years.”

The roofing upgrades would include repairing and replacing roof sections with water damage, installation of Tremco roof restoration system and installation of roof access ladders to improve roof accessibility and safety.

Jail plumbing upgrades include replacing all existing penal fixtures with new high-efficiency penal fixtures along with new water management system, replacing all existing public toilet fixtures with new high-efficiency toilet fixtures, replacing shower stalls in men's locker rooms with new high efficiency urinals, reconfiguring existing sewage line serving penal areas with a gravity feed system fit with a Muffin Monster Sewage Grinder system and replacing penal shower doors with new shower doors and install a new grease trap.

The lighting upgrades at the jail are minimal, with replacing exiting lighting with new high-efficiency LED lighting and adding new circuits to the Sheriff's Office to fix circuit overloading issues.

The cost of the finalized project is projected to be $2,098,345.

While the county was planning on completing additional projects this summer on the courthouse and jail, both Commissioner Michael Largent and Commissioner Dean Kinzer agreed that with the current state with COVID-19, it wouldn't be wise to move forward with any additional projects.

Additional projects include upgrades to the windows and doors, HVAC system, the elevator, etc.

Chris Nelson, county treasurer, said she has recently talked with Columbia Bank about possible commercial loan options, and she said they are very open to working with the county.

“Once I get the paperwork to them on costs we will be able to narrow down final numbers,” Nelson said.

There is been a state loan option, which has been in discussion during the entire courthouse/jail upgrade process. Nelson said the last time she spoke with the state the interest rate was at the upper end of two percent. She said even though this is a lower interest rate, the cash wouldn't be available until October.

“I've been looking at five to 10-year loans with the potential of paying that off early,” Nelson said.

Swannack said the financing portion of this project will be ongoing and, for now, the county can just use current cash on hand and then move on from there.