The Hawkins County Commission’s Budget Committee voted Tuesday to recommend approval of a $1.357 million bid for replacing the Justice Center roof, which includes accepting an option for skylights.
The skylights increased the cost of the project by $99,995, and will help cut down on power use by utilizing natural light in the jail.
The committee voted to reject an option for a thicker roof membrane that would have increased the cost of the project by $125,894.
Commissioners were wary about that option because it didn’t increase the length of the 20 year warrantee on the regular roof membrane.
The only additional coverage that came with the thicker membrane was for damage caused by hail or foot traffic.
The Budget Committee and the Public Buildings Committee (PBC) met Tuesday to the discuss the Justice Center roof bids. The PBC met first in a conference call with architect Brian Alderson.
Committee member Josh Gilliam asked Alderson if there was any information available about the extension of the roof life by adding the thicker membrane.
Alderson didn’t have an answer, and the Public Buildings Committee recessed to give Alderson time to get that information from the manufacturer.
During that recess the Budget Committee met and conducted its business. The roof bid was the last item on the Budget Committee agenda, so that committee recessed so that the Public Buildings Committee could reconvene and vote on the roof bid.
The two bids received for the Justice Center roof expire on April 1, so the committees had to make a decision Tuesday to get a bids on the agenda for the March 25 County Commission meeting.
Committee member Charlie Thacker initially said he felt the extra $125,894 for the thicker membrane would pay for itself in the long run.
Thacker made a motion to move forward with the low bid from Morristown Roofing of $1.357 million for the roof and skylights, as well as the addition of the $125,894 thicker membrane.
Upon learning that the thicker membrane options doesn’t increase the 20 year warrantee, however, Thacker rescinded his motion. Gilliam then made a motion to accept the low bid with the skylights, but without the thicker membrane option.
Gilliam noted that the roof has a 20 year warrantee whether they buy the thicker membrane or not.
“Whether it lasts beyond 20 years is anybody’s guess,” Gilliam noted. “This one hasn’t even lasted 20 years. … If the roof tears up they’re going to come fix it anyway, whether you pay that extra $126,000 or not.”
County facilities manager Sara Davis noted that the regular membrane options doesn’t include warrantee protection for foot traffic damage and hail damage.
Although there will be safe walkways on the roof connecting HVAC units, commissioners agreed that HVAC maintenance contracts should stipulate that the contractor is responsible for any foot traffic damage they cause.
It was also suggested that signs be placed on the roof warning against getting off the walkways, as well as video surveillance to show if anyone steps off the safe walkways.
The Budget Committee voted 5-1 to accept the low bid without the thicker membrane. The only no vote was cast by Commissioner Nancy Barker.
The commission had already agreed to use ARPA funds to cover the cost of the Justice Center roof. But, the low bid came in $111,141 above what was allocated.
The Budget Committee agreed to use interest generated by unallocated ARPA funds to cover that extra $111,114.
The full commission is expected to consider final approval of the Justice Center roof bid when it meets in regular session on March 25.
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