Courthouse roof project underway; county sets contractor deadline and reserve for damages if work not finished

Leavenworth County building and grounds staff told commissioners the courthouse roof replacement and skylight installation are complete, but masonry work will extend into a multi‑year schedule as the county awaits custom terracotta production.

Aaron, the building-and-grounds presenter, said Pullman (the contractor) had its terracotta supplier scan three courses of terracotta by hand and will produce molds. Once molds are approved, production is expected to take roughly 40 weeks for the three courses. Aaron said the contractor timeline accounts for winter weather and water-infiltration risks; the contract end date is 11/15/2027. "At that point, if the project isn't complete, the county will be seeking damages," Aaron said.

Aaron also reported other facility work in Quarter 3: a chiller module replacement at an offsite facility, exterior walls completed on Transfer Station Building C (garage doors pending), LED lighting conversions at the Justice Center funded by a $76,000 grant plus a utility partner contribution (Evergy) that left about $14,000 net county cost before installation. He said the Justice Center LED conversion should reduce electricity bills and that staff will pursue similar grant opportunities for other county buildings.

Why it matters: The courthouse is a prominent county facility; masonry restoration requires custom fabrication and a long lead time. The county has set a firm project completion date and signaled willingness to pursue contractor damages if milestones are missed.

Next steps: Staff will monitor terracotta mold production, review samples when available, and proceed with masonry removal and replacement once fabricated units arrive.