The Marshall County Commissioners took time Monday morning to award a bid for the proposed work on the Marshall County Courthouse and clock tower renovations.
Companies submitted a base bid and six alternate bids. Alternate bid one would add costs to remove existing storm windows and replace them with new storm windows, alternate bid two would add costs to paint architectural elements like soffits and fascia, alternate bid three would remove and install new joint sealants around windows and doors, alternate bid four would remove existing sealant and install new joints around the column bases, alternate bid five would repair existing limestone and masonry cleaning, and alternate bid six would replace existing internal thermal windows.
Advanced Restoration officials asked the commissioners to withdraw its bid due to a mistake on an alternate bid price. The commissioners approved that request.
The next lowest bidder was Midwest Maintenance, Inc. out of Piqua, Ohio. The base bid was $1,266,435. The alternates added up to $230,500 which put the project at nearly $1.5 million. Commissioner Stan Klotz said he spoke to people in Bloomington and Huntington County who have done business with the company. He said the company has done a good job on other projects in other counties. There were hardly any change orders on the projects and they are on time.
The commissioners unanimously approved the bid from Midwest Maintenance, Inc. and all documents will be reviewed by County Attorney Jim Clevenger.
Commission President Kevin Overmyer said the Marshall County Council already approved about $1 million for this project, so the commissioners will be seeking an additional appropriation to complete the project.
“This total almost equals $1.5 million,” said Overmyer. “With the understanding that while we are there doing the basic work that needs to be done – these alternates, we feel, are appropriate at this time to complete this project to its fullest, especially with it being the 150th anniversary next year of the Marshall County Courthouse.”
Following the approval of the bid, Bremen resident, Scott Calentine, a labor representative in Northeast Indiana, had concerns that the company was not going to use apprentices trained in masonry, lead abatement or painting, and the use of local people in the project.
