Commission tables engineering study on elevator

Will research possible options

By Buck Collier, Special Correspondent
Posted 8/17/22

HERMANN — A nearly $30,000 price tag for an engineering firm to conduct a feasibility study on an elevator at the courthouse and do preliminary work on two storage buildings has been prompted …

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Commission tables engineering study on elevator

Will research possible options

Posted

HERMANN — A nearly $30,000 price tag for an engineering firm to conduct a feasibility study on an elevator at the courthouse and do preliminary work on two storage buildings has been prompted the Gasconade County Commission to table the proposal while it looks into other possible options.

Archer-Elgin, the county’s consulting engineering firm, delivered a proposal last week to conduct a feasibility study for an elevator and for initial work on a pair of storage facilities, one at the Sheriff’s Department’s Swiss satellite office and one at the Road Department. The proposal does not include preparing bid specification, Presiding Commissioner Larry Miskel, R-Hermann, said during last week’s Commission session. Rather, he said, the proposal only covers the company conducting a cost analysis of the project.

The $28,800 offer was seen as a bit high for the work outlined in the proposal.

“I just think this is a lot of money,” said Northern District Associate Commissioner Jim Holland, R-Hermann. “What it doesn’t include is the final design,” he added.

“I agree it’s a lot of money,” said Southern District Associate Commissioner Jerry Lairmore, R-Owensville. “But,” he added, “I don’t know where else you’re going to go” to have the study performed.

One source, the commissioners agreed, would be an elevator company itself — considering that the location of the lift is already known.

“Maybe going to the elevator company, if that’s all we need, is what we do,” Lairmore said.

As for the two storage sheds, the county administrators said they should be able to approach contractors directly about constructing the facilities, again knowing the size and location of the facilities being considered.

“If we’re looking only at the spot, what do we need a study for?” asked Lairmore.

The elevator — which was first proposed more than a decade ago — is a courthouse upgrade that was contained in recommendations from courthouse staffers regarding possible use of some of the county’s $2.8-million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money. About $600,000 worth of the initial $1.4-million allocation has been awarded to government agencies, businesses and non-profit organizations. Applications for a share of the second $1.4-million allocation are being considered now by Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) personnel. MRPC is administering the ARPA funds allocated to Gasconade and the seven other counties within the Meramec Region.

As of last week, MRPC had received 14 applications and had not yet finished vetting the requests for funding. Indeed, the County Commission initially had planned to meet with MRPC staff earlier this month to review the applications, but considering the time that has been needed regarding the elevator and other projects, that review has been pushed back to October.

The county has until the end of 2024 to commit the use of the $2.4 million and until the end of 2026 to actually spend the money. Presumably, any unspent funds would be returned to the U.S. treasury. The county’s ARPA money came straight from the federal government while ARPA dollars allocated to municipalities were passed down through state government.

The ARPA program was adopted by Congress as a way to stimulate local economies that were hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. While the first round of ARPA money was aimed primarily at covering revenue loss, the second round of money is aimed more at infrastructure projects.

On a related front, county administrators continue to await word on when they can expect delivery of new courthouse doors paid for with CARES Act money. That batch of money — $1.7 million in the case of Gasconade County — was approved two years ago with the intent to cover costs associated with dealing with and preventing the spread of COVID-19. 

The Commission approved the use of $40,000 for two new doors for the main entrance to the courthouse and one door on the east-side entrance. The double doors would be equipped with an automatic opening device aimed at preventing the spread of the virus.

“Now, we’re over a year (since the order was placed) and I assume we’re no closer to knowing anything,” said County Clerk Lesa Lietzow.

“I would hope…I don’t know what to say,” said Holland.

Lairmore suggested the east-side door be placed on hold while county officials decide what to do about the proposed elevator, which would be installed at the east-side entrance.

County Treasurer Mike Feagan noted during a recent Commission session that the check to pay for the doors was written in July of last year and remains tucked away in his safe.

And regarding MRPC and funding for local businesses, Holland offered a reminder that the planning agency has access to money for local business start-ups and others, pointing to two businesses in Hermann that took advantage of the funding program. He suggested businesses contact the planning agency to inquire about available funding.

“They are there to help. They have money to lend,” Holland said.