Fiscal court approves construction and architect contracts for courthouse restoration

Franklin County fiscal court voted May 13 to approve two contracts to move forward with courthouse restoration work: a not-to-exceed $458,000 construction-manager contract with Trace Creek Construction and a not-to-exceed $365,170 architect/engineering contract with JRA Architects (which excludes grand-staircase work pending outside reimbursement).

County staff said a selection committee recommended Trace Creek and that the Administrative Office of the Courts reviewed the recommended construction-manager contract. JRA’s architect/engineering scope was presented as part of the overall restoration; county staff said the claim for work on the grand staircase remains unresolved because AOC and FEMA have not confirmed reimbursement for that element, so the staircase was removed from the contract as an alternate.

Magistrates asked whether public notices and bid language sufficiently described flood-related restoration versus other work that could arise during bidding. One magistrate said the public notice referenced flood damage and asked whether the advertisement should be broadened if the project scope includes additional restoration items. County staff said architects had submitted schedules and the contract amount reflects the excluded staircase element.

The court approved both contracts by voice vote. Staff said the restoration will proceed with the negotiated contracts while the county continues to seek outside funding or alternate bid language for the grand staircase.

What happens next: With contracts approved, the construction manager and architects may begin pre-construction planning, and staff will continue to pursue reimbursement or options for the staircase element.