August 3, 2023 |
Photo – Carbon County Courthouse – Bigfoot99 file photo
The Carbon County Courthouse renovation contractor is asking for final payment. The county commissioners want the building’s elevators to work properly first.
The nearly 3-year-long project to renovate the Carbon County Courthouse and Carbon Building was completed earlier this year. The 80-year-old courthouse needed extensive upgrades to bring it up to modern standards. The grand reopening ceremony was on May 12th. Despite the project being officially completed, problems still exist.
During Tuesday’s Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, County Clerk Gwen Bartlett said FCI Constructors of Wyoming was requesting their retainage payment. Retainage is a percentage of the cost of the project set aside as collateral should something go wrong within a month and a half of final completion. Bartlett said the courthouse was still experiencing issues related to the renovations. The county clerk asked the commissioners if they wanted to postpone the retainage payment until the problems were fixed.
Clerk Bartlett said the commissioners could choose not to pay the entire $1.3 million retainage all at once. She said part of the money could be set aside to cover the cost of finishing the repairs. Commissioner John Espy said he agreed with Bartlett’s suggestion.
Commissioner Espy said the county should find out how much it will cost to make the necessary repairs and hold onto that portion of the retainage payment. Commissioner John Johnson agreed. Commissioner Johnson said he wanted to focus on fixing the elevator.
Clerk Bartlett said she would arrange a meeting between the commissioners, Interim Buildings and Grounds Manager Mike Newbrough, and a representative from FCI Constructors to discuss the repairs still needed at the courthouse. Commissioner Espy said the elevator must be operational before the entire retainage is paid.
Clerk Bartlett said she would set up the meeting between the county and the contractors sometime next week.
