9/12/07 - Price rises for County Courthouse renovations

(As published by Cortland Standard, Corey Preston reporting)

Cortland County has until March 31 to “substantially complete” the second phase of renovations of the County Courthouse or else it risks losing state funds for the project, the county Legislature’s General Services Committee learned Tuesday.

Phase II of the courthouse renovation, which will renovate the space on the third-floor of the building recently vacated by the law library, will cost roughly $520,000 said Russ Oechsle, district executive of the Sixth Judicial District.

That cost was initially intended to be entirely state funded, Oechsle said, but roughly $40,000 in needed heating, ventilation and air conditioning work was not included in the original cost analysis, and that work is not eligible for full state reimbursement.

Additionally, because the motor vehicles office has not yet been moved out of the courthouse, the county will need to fund temporary renovations to make space for departments in flux during the renovations, County Administrator Scott Schrader said.

Schrader estimated after the meeting that the cost of the temporary renovations — which would involve moving the County Clerk’s Office into the neighboring Records Office on the first floor and moving the District Attorney into the Clerk’s Office — would be approximately $15,000.

Schrader told the committee that the county’s architects had presented plans that called for the county spending between $100,000 and $300,000 on temporary renovations, but said he felt a simpler solution could be reached.

The committee agreed that Schrader should attempt to come up with a more cost-effective solution.

“I just think it’s foolish to spend money like that to renovate and then turn around and renovating again,” said Legislator John Daniels (D-Cortlandville).

Schrader drew his $15,000 cost estimate from the two far more broad architectural plans. “The big thing is getting a counter in there for the clerk, and some of the general stuff. We probably shouldn’t worry about new carpeting and finishing at this point,” Schrader said.

The Records Office will eventually become the permanent home of the county clerk, while the district attorney will eventually have renovated consolidated space on the first floor of the courthouse.

ANOTHER CALL FOR A MASTER PLAN!!! C'mon, letting an accountant put together a cost estimate for relocations? From far more broad architectural plans? Nothing that has anything to do with renovating costs $15,000. And based on Mr. Schrader's past cost estimating, I am betting this is going to be way off as well.

And the reason why the cost is $40,000 higher is because the mechanical and electrical work was EXCLUDED?? How does this happen and no one sees it?

Bottom line, the taxpayers have to foot the bill for an oversight on the County's part in my opinion. Ask your Legislator why we're paying for mistakes!

MASTER PLAN!!!!