The district commissioners agreed on a bid solicitation process with options for roof work at the Pittsburg County Justice Center.
The commissioners took the action during their regular Monday meeting at the Pittsburg County Courthouse after hearing from Garland Company’s Josh Rhodes.
Rhodes told commissioners that a number of options could be available for the justice center, which includes the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office and the Pittsburg County Jail.
District 2 Commissioner Kevin Smith said he wanted to solicit bids for the roofing of the entire facility — but he also wanted to solicit phased bids for portions of the roof.
If the entire project proves too costly to pay for all at once, Smith says commissioners could choose to do it in phases — getting the worst parts done first.
Rhodes said options are available to include everything involved in the project from start to finish. It would cover everything from bonds and insurance to materials and labor, he said.
The commissioners asked how soon concrete figures on offers for roof work could be available.
“Probably in the week of the 22nd we could have some hard numbers,” Rhodes said, referring to May 22nd.
Rhodes informed the commissioners that some funding for the project may be available through grants.
Smith wanted to know how long the prices would hold for the bids once they were collected. He pointed to the still ongoing problems with supply constraints and inflation, which could lead to price changes.
“How long are the bids valid?” asked Smith.
Rhodes said offers should be valid for at least 30 days after receipt.
Smith said he also wanted to know when the companies submitting bids could start the umbrella project. If a company plans to start the project too far in advance, Smith expressed concerns that it could increase the size of its bids due to potentially rising costs due to inflation and supply-side constraints.
“I’m afraid they’re going to raise the asking price,” Smith said.
The commissioners also discussed how the bids should be submitted.
“I think it has to be done in phases,” Smith said, referring to phases of the umbrella project so work can be prioritized when needed.
“We’re dealing with three sections of the roof,” Rhodes noted.
“We want a price for the entire roof – and by phases,” Smith said.
The commissioners acted to pass a measure regarding the project.
“I’m requesting that we put out some packages and get some numbers,” Smith said.
Pittsburg County Commission/District 1 Chairman Charlie Rogers joined Smith and District 3 Commissioner Ross Selman in unanimously passing Smith’s motion to pursue bids for the umbrella project for the cost of the entire project and for the cost when done in phases.
When asked by News-Capital what the roof issues at the Pittsburg County Justice Center were, Smith said problems included leaks, vulnerabilities and security issues.
Selman said the project phases include the prison administration area, the old part of the Pittsburg County Jail, which is the women’s section, and the newer part of the jail, which houses male prisoners.
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