The Pulaski County Commissioners have approved a construction manager contract for the justice center expansion but decided to hold off before approving one for the courthouse renovation. The commissioners chose Tonn & Blank Construction for both projects back in January.
Project liaison Nathan Origer told the commissioners Monday that approving the contracts would allow preliminary work to proceed, at least for the justice center. “[Bond counsel] Barnes & Thornburg does have the first reading bond issuance ordinance for the county council ready for next week if you do execute that contract tonight,” Origer explained. “With the courthouse, it signs us onto having Tonn & Blank come on and then take whatever steps we direct them, to fine-tune the numbers to give us concrete guidance on whether we are going in the right direction or need to take a step back.”
But Commissioner Maurice Loehmer said he wanted to hold off on the courthouse contract until the project steering committee can meet to discuss some concerns.
Meanwhile, he also presented a plan to reopen the three entrances to the main floor of the courthouse, undoing the single point of entry that was put in place a year ago. “The consensus is that it’s not going to increase any security risk that may already exist,” he said.
The commissioners agreed to get the three doors repaired with new closers for a total estimated cost of about $474. Loehmer said that work should be done by the end of the week.
But the commissioners pointed out that the courthouse will have to go back to a single point of entry whenever Circuit Court is holding a trial that requires security or, at least for the foreseeable future, COVID-19 screenings.
