By HOLLY GASKILL
Over a year has passed since the Wells County Jail renovation project was set to wrap up.
Since then, several final items have remained unfinished, and the final portion of the project unpaid. Several months ago, however, Sheriff Scott Holliday reported that Ameresco, the group in charge of the project, wanted to close out billing. A representative attended Monday’s County Commissioner meeting seeking the same thing.
Brad Driver, senior project developer, claimed the county was notified of substantial completion in October, and the group intended to finish the final items but could not do so immediately. Driver explained that in issues regulating HVAC, for example, the contractor would have to come out in the summer to ensure accuracy.
He subsequently asked the county to close out billing with a written promise to complete the final items. He estimated the final bill to be just over $138,000.
“This has been over a year since we were supposed to be complete, so I’m reluctant to pay any of that until we’re just done,” Commissioner Jeff Stringer said. “My gut feel since I started with this with Ameresco (is) it’s been difficult at best, in my eyes. And I think you ought to be done to get your last payment — that’s the only way, I feel, we can motivate you to have it finished the way it needs to be finished is to hold that last payment.”
Driver then asked if the county would consider holding back 10% of the final payment as retention, and Stringer said he believed the final payment acted as retention. “I think (10%) isn’t enough to motivate them to get it done,” Stringer replied.
After a brief sidebar with County Attorney Ted Storer, Mike Vanover stated he believed the county was unable to close billing before the project’s total completion.
Storer added, “The pay application that I’m looking at, it says retainage is not applicable … So from a standpoint of my role to the commissioners, I can’t provide advice to them to execute and approve this until we have more information.”
Holliday credited Ameresco in that it was difficult to get the subcontractors to return after they’ve moved on to new projects. Driver reported that Ameresco’s subcontractors are already paid in full.
Commissioner Blake Gerber said he would consider the county keeping a more significant part of the final payment — around $75,000. Driver was receptive to this and suggested he return at the commissioners’ March 4 meeting with further discussion.
Holliday also presented quotes regarding a repair to sewer lines in the administrative portion of the jail, unrelated to the Ameresco renovation project. Holliday stated he had had the area inspected following longstanding issues with an occasional sewer odor and found several cracking pipes.
The trick, however, is the placement of the pipes. Holliday advised the lines are located behind a narrow false wall between the restrooms, requiring the removal of the whole wall.
The first quote for the total work came in at approximately $22,000, but the commissioners approved a second set of quotes, $9,500 for the pipework and $2,400 for the masonry. Holliday will file for an additional appropriation through the Wells County Council for the project.
“It’s something that needs to be taken care of, for sure,” Holliday concluded.
As of Monday, Holliday reported 83 inmates in the Wells County Jail. Of this total, 39 were pre-trial holds for the Wells County Circuit Court, 28 pre-trial holds for the Superior Court, 14 from the Department of Correction and two Level 6 felons.
holly@news-banner.com
