Commission approves change orders for courthouse ADA ramp handrails and sidewalk panels

The Covington County Commission approved several change orders for the courthouse Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ramp project, including switching the handrail material to aluminum and adding work to form and pour sidewalk panels on the courthouse’s west side.

County staff summarized the change orders in the meeting packet and recommended approval. Staff said proposal 3 replaces the originally specified handrail material with aluminum to improve longevity and reduce future maintenance. Proposal 5 was divided into 5A (work included in the current ADA bid package) and 5B (additional matching handrails treated as a separate capital improvement if the commission approves it later). Proposal 6 covers labor and materials to install brick panel forms for the west-side sidewalk; staff said the city had agreed to replace brick if the county poured the concrete panels.

Commissioner Robbie moved to approve proposals 3, 5 and 6 without powder-coating the handrails; the motion was seconded and passed on a voice vote. Commissioners discussed leaving the railings as plain aluminum for lower maintenance and adding mid-rails for extra safety. Staff advised the change order costs would be paid from the project contingency already set aside in the bid package. The commission did not adopt the optional powder coat for color, which staff said would have been an added cost.

Staff indicated work tied to proposal 5B, the broader property-wide handrails, would be considered later as a capital improvement funded separately. No additional funding sources or dollar amounts for the change orders were provided on the record; staff said the contingency in the bid package would cover the approved items.

The commission voted to proceed so the ADA ramp project could be completed within the project schedule.