WSP report finds widespread deferred maintenance across county facilities; recommends targeted replacements and possible property disposition

A consultant presentation to the committee on county facilities on July 16 recommended a program of prioritized repairs and preventive maintenance after rating most county buildings in the “fair” range and flagging aging HVAC systems, water infiltration and accessibility shortfalls. The county hired WSP to perform a facilities condition assessment covering the courthouse, juvenile detention center, Gift Avenue complex, the kennel at PCAPS, the election commission space at a leased building, the emergency management facility and the county highway administration building. Danette Galvin, senior project manager for WSP, said the firm assigned most sites condition ratings of 2–3 on a 1–5 scale and emphasized recurring issues with mechanical systems and masonry deterioration. “One of the observations that was made over and over again in this facility was the aging HVAC systems,” Galvin said. The report’s nut graf: the assessment documents problems that, left unaddressed, will likely cost more later and recommended using the report to inform capital planning. The report includes “rough order of magnitude” cost estimates in an appendix but did not provide full, project-level cost estimates; WSP staff said detailed cost estimating would come during schematic design. Most urgent findings cited by WSP included failing or aging HVAC units in multiple buildings, significant water infiltration at the emergency management bunker — which is largely underground — and accessibility barriers at several sites. WSP recommended replacing major mechanical systems, tuckpointing masonry where cracking was observed, and, for some locations, regrading or parking-lot repairs to address site drainage. WSP singled out the Gift Avenue complex as functionally and financially difficult to repurpose for county use. “One of the recommendations we have for this facility is ... it may be to either donate or sell this property,” Galvin said; the report noted the building was vacant as of May 2025 and recommended placing building systems in a vacant-operating mode to prevent further deterioration while options are evaluated. Several committee members pressed for cost detail and next steps. Melissa (staff member) said the rough-order estimates in the report are intended to guide capital planning and that more detailed cost work would follow if the board decides to move to design. Commissioner Jimmy Dillon asked about the scope of the assessment and whether two other problematic facilities (ETS B and a fleet garage) had been left out because they are in separate design tracks; county staff confirmed those assets were not included in this study. WSP and multiple committee members also discussed the useful life of HVAC systems; WSP staff estimated that with good maintenance major systems can often last 25–30 years but cautioned that availability of replacement parts for older equipment can accelerate replacement needs. The report recommended preventative maintenance as a cost-effective tool to extend asset life. The presentation drew questions about the election commission’s leased building; county staff said the condition assessment gives the county documentation to hold the landlord accountable to known repair items. The report also recommended considering demolition of the emergency management bunker given the scope and cost of repairs and noting the facility is used only for major events. The board did not take binding action at the meeting. Staff and consultants will use the assessment to inform capital planning and potential future design phases, and to provide prospective buyers or lessees with condition and cost information for properties such as Gift Avenue. The WSP presentation and questions from committee members ran approximately 15 minutes; committee members and staff signaled interest in moving from assessment to prioritized capital projects and cost estimating in later design phases.