Commissioners approve Fox Theater abatement contract amid public calls for broader asbestos remediation

Huerfano County commissioners approved a contract and first change order with Buffalo Builders for abatement work at the Fox Theater, while residents and a local contractor urged the county to identify and remove all asbestos rather than only the materials addressed in the current construction scope.

Staff told commissioners the project is grant funded and that the current work and change order remain within the grant award. A local contractor who identified himself during public comment asked whether "all of the asbestos [has] been identified and tagged for removal" and urged the county to remove materials while funding is available rather than returning later for additional change orders.

County staff responded that testing to date covered the portions of the building slated for immediate construction disturbance and that not all asbestos or other hazardous materials in the building have been identified. "We are not—we have not identified all the asbestos or other materials that need to be remediated," the staff presenter said, adding that expanding the scope would require reapplying and additional time (the presenter estimated an 8–10 month timeline to reapply).

Speakers and public commenters highlighted the age of multiple county buildings and the recurring discovery of asbestos during renovation work. A resident who identified recent contracting experience said that many local buildings from earlier eras contain asbestos in floor tiles, ceiling tiles and adhesives, and asked the county to take a broader, forward-looking approach to remediation across county properties.

Staff noted that certain parts of the Fox—particularly the boiler area and sections subject to disturbance—are already scheduled for remediation and that other interventions (for example, windows and marquee work) will be addressed as funds and design allow. The board approved the contract and change order and the staff said the project will proceed under the current grant while county staff continue to monitor the scope and potential future work.

The discussion did not produce a directive to expand the current contract scope immediately; staff said doing so would require a separate procurement process and likely additional funding and time.