Commissioners authorize removal of partitioned offices at North Annex to advance renovation plan

Williams County commissioners on Thursday authorized county staff to begin limited demolition at the North Annex building to remove older partitioned offices and create a small access opening while planners finalize a broader renovation and second-floor plan.

The vote followed a detailed progress update from county staff and a discussion of practical obstacles and next steps. County staff described measurements taken of existing cabinets and ceilings, identified a gas meter that would complicate moving a proposed exterior garage door, and said reusing existing materials and relocating records could reduce overall cost and space needs.

The commissioners were told the architect (identified in the transcript as Connor Miller) prepared earlier drawings and that the county has worked with staff and office users over roughly a year and a half to refine a new layout. Staff recommended removing a set of small, non-bearing partition offices — repeatedly described in the meeting as “janky offices” — in the record-research area to create circulation and access that will allow the team to evaluate elevator placement, public restrooms and potential second-floor expansion in a roughly 30-foot portion of the building.

The discussion covered safety and permitting limits: staff said some demolition tasks (ceiling tiles, ceiling grid removal, taking out non-structural steel studs) can be done before full state construction drawings and that community-service participants could perform limited, supervised demo work. County staff said they had checked insurance coverage and were told the county would be covered for supervised volunteer work; commissioners emphasized the county would not use untrained people on high or hazardous tasks.

Commissioners also discussed which elements must be done by the architect and licensed trade professionals. Staff said elevator and second-floor design and any work that requires state approvals would need architectural/engineering drawings; bidders and testing costs for a full renovation or addition were noted as outstanding items to be resolved before contracting work.

A commissioner moved to authorize limited demolition to remove the partitioned offices and create an access opening, and to allow staff to use supervised community-service participants to assist with the non-structural work. The motion was approved by roll call (Commissioner Westfall: yes; Commissioner Loebero: yes; one other commissioner vote recorded as yes).

Next steps recorded in the meeting include scheduling a focused work session for the three commissioners to review the staff sketch (referred to in the meeting as the “Kelly sketch”), clarifying which demolition tasks staff can complete before formal construction drawings, and asking the architect to prepare elevator and second-floor drawings once the commissioners finalize the preferred interior layout. Staff said they would coordinate a follow-up call with the architect and bring back an updated plan for further review and bidding.

The commissioners did not set a construction budget during the meeting; staff discussed potential costs (including an unclear dollar figure referenced in the transcript for architectural work) and said firm cost estimates will come from the architect and formal bids once plans are finalized.