Buildings committee reports lower year-to-year spending, jail repairs and courthouse remodel work; surplus chairs to be sold

The Highway and Waterways and Building Committee received its buildings report on Sept. 11, 2025, hearing that 267 work orders were completed in August and 21 remained open.The committee accepted and filed the buildings reports by motion and vote.Matt Ortman (identified in the transcript only as “Mister Ortman” and speaking for the buildings group) delivered the report and provided budget and operational details. He said the buildings division’s year-to-date spending was $951,680.60, about $183,000 below the same point last year; he attributed much of the savings to reduced outside contractor service repairs. Ortman reported current service-repair spending at $212,446.61, compared with $248,570.49 at the same time last year.In August the county paid $29,500 for domestic water heaters at the jail and $17,200 for a north sally port door at the new jail, a combined $46,700 in one month. Ortman said crews are refurbishing 22 metal picnic-style benches used by detainees…