Committee approves brick repair change order, forwards finance request and recommends reinstating hazard pay

The LaSalle County Property Committee on Sept. 26 approved a change order to repair loose bricks on the downtown courthouse and voted to forward a financing request to the county finance office to pay the $26,850 cost from the project's contingency or emergency fund.

County maintenance staff said contractors provided a higher initial estimate of about $42,000 to reset and anchor roughly 630 loose bricks; the price was negotiated down to $26,850. The committee voted to approve the change order and then to send a funding request to finance so work can proceed.

Committee members also heard from maintenance staff about multiple ongoing building issues: roof and flashing work around rooftop air-handling equipment, replacement of corroded boiler flues, power-panel and generator transfer upgrades, and a pump in the jail’s sewer line that frequently becomes clogged with plastic and other debris. Maintenance staff described…