Fiscal court discusses multiple ongoing construction projects

Projects around the downtown courthouse and those pertaining to roads in Carroll County were the focus of Tuesday’s Fiscal Court meeting.

Judge-Executive Harold “Shorty” Tomlinson told magistrates that work continues on upgrading both the electrical and heating and cooling systems in the old courthouse building.

The work on both fronts is on schedule and should be complete by Nov. 1, with any troubleshooting or punch list items to be finished by the end of November, Tomlinson said.

At this point, the courthouse doesn’t have a boiler, he said, meaning the heating system isn’t operating. Soon, he said he hopes engineers will clear the way for removal of the chiller from the roof. That would cut off any air conditioning.

Tomlinson said he believes the mild weather this time of year will work well for those who work in the courthouse. But if there are extreme temperature shifts, he said there are options for portable heating or cooling equipment available to keep the offices comfortable.

“If it’s a day or two, we can suffer through that,” Tomlinson said. “Hopefully we don’t get too cold too quick.”

As this work continues, a third project may soon begin at the courthouse.

Tomlinson said he has just received word that the Streetscape project, funded with about $180,000 in federal money for replacing sidewalks, lighting and landscaping around the courthouse, has been approved for going to bid.

Even though it is late in the year, he said he believes much of the work can be performed without too many problems from the weather.

At this time, the county is looking to advertise for bids with an opening of those possibly on Oct. 22, based on the engineer’s recommendation. Tomlinson said he will explore options for getting to the bid opening earlier, if it is possible.

“This project has been a long-time coming,” he said, noting the county was awarded the grant in 2009.

District 1 Magistrate Floyd Bowling said the county will want to be sure the chiller is removed from the roof before any work is performed on the sidewalks. He said this would prevent damage from the heavy equipment that will be needed to move it.

Tomlinson said that will be scheduled and noted that when it is removed, some roof repairs will be required.

Highway projects

Tomlinson said the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has awarded several large projects in Carroll County with its recent round of bidding.

Ohio Valley Asphalt won with a low bid of $11.6 million to resurface Interstate 71 through the county, along with repaving ramps at Exits 43 and 44 and making guard rail repairs, he said.

A pre-construction meeting will be held Oct. 14 and Tomlinson plans to attend. He will push for this and other projects to begin as soon as possible.

OVA also won with the low bid of $305,062 to replace the railroad crossing at Sanders. The company also will be resurfacing Hwy. 55, having the low bid of $218,757 on that project. A combined project to resurface 11th Street, which is Hwy. 320 in Carrollton, along with a portion of Hwy. 227 was bid out at $303,421, he said.

“I would like to see these go ahead and get started,” he said.

Weather and many other factors will determine the time frame for completion of this work, Tomlinson said. But he knows that some of it will spill over into 2013.

One project that he said will not get underway until next spring is the replacement of the Locust bridge on Hwy. 36. The project was awarded by the transportation cabinet at $2.67 million.

He said transportation officials were concerned about the cold weather and opted to delay. But he said he also has concerns about the potential for spring flooding there if the project is delayed.

Tomlinson said he would attend the pre-construction meeting on the project when it happens.