By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
The Tucker County Commission passed a resolution at its meeting Wednesday, September 25th that cleared the way to complete a grant application. According to County Administrator Shelia DeVilder, the County has applied for a CFIA Courthouse Facilities Grant for the second phase of the HVAC system in the old courthouse building. “My application for the CFIA Grant, which is the Courthouse Facilities Grant, for the second phase of the HVAC is due on Friday,” DeVilder said.
Tucker County Commission President Mike Rosenau explained that the CFIA Grant was what had previously funded the exterior restoration project of the Courthouse. “What we apply for each year is a courthouse improvement grant,” Rosenau said. “That’s how we got all the brickwork reworked on the outside because our bricks were deteriorating because the Commission in the past had determined it was best if we painted them.”
Under the previous project, Rosenau said, the mortar work was done starting at the clock tower at the top of the building and worked down. “What happened was, it was a moisture barrier,” Rosenau said. “So the mortar, we had to start at the top at the clock tower. The clock tower was ready to fall off.”
Rosenau said the project proceeded a little each year. “So through Courthouse Facilities, we redid the whole outside of our building a little each year.” Rosenau said.
The current project the grant application is being submitted for, Rosenau said, is to improve the air quality in the building and bring air conditioning into the structure. “So what we are trying to do now, this is a historical building so it qualifies, is the air quality in this building doesn’t meet the standard of the current what it is supposed to do now. Plus there is no air conditioning in this building.”
Phase one that was completed, Rosenau said, brought the electrical work into the building. “So we’ve started the first phase of this,” Rosenau said. “With the first grants that we got to do the the electrical with the set up getting ready to start.”
Phase two, according to Rosenau will involve installation of air conditioning into the first floor offices. “The next phase that we’re applying for are another set of grants to go with the next level,” Rosenau said. “It will be like the offices on the first floor will be air conditioned.”
DeVilder added that phase two would also bring in fresh air flow to the building. “It will bring in fresh air flow,” DeVilder said.
Rosenau said they were hopeful that the following year would see the addition of the courtroom to the project. “The next year we are hoping, if we get it again, it would be like the courtroom,” Rosenau said.
Rosenau said the County cannot afford to do the project all at once and can only complete it in stages as funding becomes available through the State. “We can’t afford to do it all at once,” Rosenau said. “So we just do it as we can get approval through the State.”
The total cost of the project by the completion is anticipated to be between $1.5 and $2 Million with inflation figured in. DeVilder said the grant requires a 20% grant match. “The overall project is probably going to be $1.5 Million to $2 Million by the time it gets done,” DeVilder said, “with inflation and everything because it will take phases for several years to actually be able to afford a 20% grant match.”
A resolution was passed by the Commission which gave Rosenau the authority to act as its representative in contractual agreements on matters pertaining to the CFIA Grant. “This resolution just gives me (authority) as Commission President to intercede on behalf of the contractual agreements with the Courthouse Facilities Improvements,” Rosenau said.
