Cowlitz County hears $1.2M plan to replace Hall of Justice ceilings and lights, but questions remain

Cowlitz County officials heard details Thursday about a Millig proposal to modernize lighting and ceilings at the Hall of Justice, a project the contractor estimates will cost about $1.2 million and add roughly a month to construction if the lighting scope is included.

The presentation, led by Lauren of Millig and introduced by Savannah Clement, deputy director of public services, described replacing ceilings and fixtures on the basement, first and second floors, installing new LED fixtures where ceilings are replaced and performing tube retrofits where ceilings remain. Lauren said the turnkey price from Millig is about $1,213,000, with an anticipated utility incentive of roughly $30,000–$35,000 and estimated annual utility and maintenance savings of about $34,000.

The proposal matters because it combines safety, seismic and energy improvements into a single scope. The contractor told the board that the building’s atypical ceiling grid (original construction from 1974) holds many retrofit complications: unusual long grid pieces, custom ceiling diffusers and electrical/security wiring that has been routed above the ceiling over decades. Lauren said crews counted approximately 200 supply diffusers and 110 return diffusers that must be reworked to fit a new grid and that many infill walls are only bolted to the suspended grid rather than tied to the deck above, creating seismic risk.

More than aesthetics, Millig’s team described the safety and code implications. “We discovered a lot of walls that were not tied to the deck — they’re essentially bolted into the T grid and not braced,” Lauren said. She recommended bracing and tying those walls to the deck using angled blocking and additional seismic connections. She also said current energy code discussions about luminaire‑level lighting controls (drivers and wireless devices in each fixture) added significant cost; Millig secured a variance from the code official to omit luminaire‑level controls but recommended adding wall‑switch occupancy sensors in small offices as a lower‑cost control option.

Commissioners and staff pressed on constructability and schedule. The lighting and ceiling work will proceed zone by zone while a parallel HVAC replacement proceeds; Millig said eight zones will be worked sequentially and that adding the full ceiling and lighting scope would increase total occupied‑space construction by about a month. Mike Moss, public services director, confirmed the county’s maintenance staff discovered many burned‑out bulbs when they opened the First Floor lobby grid and described the labor intensity of bulb replacement in the existing configuration.

The contractor laid out optional add‑ons: excluding some basement areas from the lighting upgrade could reduce cost by approximately $100,000–$150,000; modernizing the First Floor lobby with standard 2x4 ceiling grid and fixtures would be an additional roughly $100,000 but would also improve light levels and maintenance access. Millig recommended a 3% owner’s contingency in the proposed price (a larger 5% contingency was already held for the separate HVAC contract).

No formal contract action was taken. Staff said they expect to package a “hard” proposal with final line‑item pricing and a recommended contract amendment (rather than a change order) to present to the board for approval. Lauren said the Millig bid includes material, labor, permits, recycling/disposal and one year workmanship warranty and that the contractor will pursue available utility rebates and rebates paperwork on the county’s behalf.

County staff and Millig agreed to follow up with additional documentation, a final proposal and answers to technical questions raised at the hearing — including whether any ceiling sections could be left in place beneath a new suspended ceiling in limited areas and additional photographic documentation of the conditions above the ceiling grid. No vote or amendment occurred at the meeting; the board asked staff to return with the formal proposal and clarifications.

The conversation also flagged operational impacts: Millig said each zone’s ceiling/lighting work will add several days to the zone’s construction and that crews are exploring temporary space and hoteling options to compress schedule. The contractor noted it will recycle ballasts and other components that may contain mercury and seismically tie new fixtures to the deck per modern code.

The board did not take a vote; staff will return with the finalized proposal and recommended contract amendment for formal approval at a future meeting.