Second-floor courthouse renovation delayed by door-frame and damper deliveries; asbestos work mostly complete

Kurt, a Samuels Group representative, told the Trempealeau County Property Committee on June 9, 2025, that demolition and asbestos abatement on the county building’s second floor are largely complete but that two long-lead items — door frames and fire dampers — are delayed and expected to arrive this week or next, creating a “couple of weeks” slip for parts of the phase.

The update matters because those delayed components affect the planned sequencing of work and moves into the renovated spaces, Kurt said: “For the most part the demolition is done. The asbestos abatement on that Second Floor is mostly done. The the 2 lead time items that we're waiting on are some door frames and some fire dampers. We are told that we should get those deliveries this week and some into next week.”

Committee members and county maintenance staff described which areas are affected and how the schedule may shift. Kurt said the delayed deliveries mainly affect two sub‑phases — the IT space and the area north of IT on the west side of the existing corridor — and that, despite the short slips, the project’s overall second-floor completion target remains in late summer to early September. Jeremy, representing the county maintenance department, said daily coordination with Samuels Group is ongoing and that department heads who will occupy the new spaces have toured the work area to visualize their layouts.

Maintenance reported practical site impacts and routine issues uncovered during construction. Jeremy said dust-control measures have sealed a connection point between buildings because dust previously triggered a fire alarm. He also described ceiling-tile changes made to allow easier access to air filters and identified several maintenance repairs triggered during the renovation period: replacement of aging pressure-relief valves, a small sinkhole in an older section of the parking lot that has been coned off, and a lock on a jail door that was repaired under warranty by Stronghold. “I have no major concerns, updates unless you have any questions for me,” Jeremy said.

County staff and the contractor are also evaluating value-engineering options to capture cost savings. Kurt said electrical-contractor pricing is pending for potential LED retrofits in the corridor; maintenance said it may purchase fixtures directly to qualify for a Focus on Energy rebate and to avoid paying a contractor twice to remove and reinstall fixtures. Maintenance also noted metal recycling from the jobsite has generated modest revenue during the project.

IT and dispatch matters intersect with the renovation schedule. An IT representative, Robertson, said there are no new developments to report since a prior, larger update but that state grant and carrier coordination (AT&T, Motorola) remain matters staff are tracking; another staff member reported outreach to carriers to extend timelines for a grant-dependent project. Committee members discussed access to dispatch during overhead work and said contractors have been instructed to stop noisy operations on direct notice to prevent interference with 911.

No formal action or vote was taken on the renovation at the June 9 meeting; the committee received the update, asked questions about sequencing and access, and instructed staff to continue coordination with contractors and affected departments. Committee members said they will receive a value‑engineering summary and pricing when available.

Planning and next steps noted at the meeting included continued daily coordination between Samuels Group and county maintenance, completion of remaining door-frame and damper deliveries, follow-up pricing on the LED retrofit, and site repairs (sinkhole and aging mechanical valves) scheduled through maintenance contracts and local vendors.