Courthouse expansion on track despite slight schedule shifts; contingency funds remain

County facilities staff provided the board a monthly update showing steady progress at the courthouse expansion site and a minor schedule adjustment.

Eric Nielsen, County Facilities capital-improvement manager (S10), described significant exterior and interior progress: scaffolding removal, installed exterior panels, new vehicle barriers and crash-rated bollards at the Bond Street entrance, finished public service counters and installed systems furniture for staff. Facilities director Lee Randall (S13) said the project remains on track for final completion in August but the temporary certificate of occupancy timeline shifted by a few weeks; the soft opening is now targeted for late April or early May and the formal ribbon cutting is likely in August.

On budget, staff said roughly $9 million in PENS contract billings remain and that contractor contingency stood near $1,000,000 while owner-side contingency was about $600,000; some permit and plan-check fees (STC fees) required reclassification among budget buckets and were covered from contingencies. Staff emphasized ongoing punch-list work, building commissioning and coordination with state courts and the sheriffs office on AV and IT installs.

The board asked questions about the crash barriersand staff confirmed the measures are engineered and compliant with federal protective guidelines. Facilities staff said they will return next month with updated billings and contingency accounting as remaining work is processed.

Next steps: finish paving and sidewalk work, complete AV installs and building commissioning, move staff and state court operations into the expansion and complete remaining remodel tasks in the existing facility.