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Richland County commissioners approve contingency spending to cover courthouse repairs and hallway painting
Summary
Commissioners approved drawing from the county contingency to pay for equipment repairs, heating-line work and a first-floor hallway painting quote after staff reported bills exceeded the maintenance line item.
Richland County commissioners on May 6 approved using contingency funds to cover immediate courthouse repairs and a contractor painting quote after maintenance staff said the repairs budget was insufficient.
The vote followed remarks from Josh Hicks, Richland County maintenance superintendent, who said the county had received a $300 bill from Allied Restaurant Services related to kitchen equipment and is still investigating parts availability or the price of replacement tilt kettles. Hicks said crews had found heating lines leaking and he had contacted Standard for a materials-and-labor quote. “We have some heating lines leaking and beyond what my guys can do,” Hicks said.
The county also reviewed a painting estimate of $5,904.40 for the first-floor hallway; Hicks said his staff could not complete that work in a timely manner. A speaker noted the sheriff’s office had paid for painting in the kitchen from its own budget line. Commissioners discussed prior spending levels: from May through December of the previous year the maintenance line had totaled about $21,000, and the county’s contingency balance was cited at about $77,000.
After discussion, a motion to approve the requested spending out of the contingency line item passed. The transcript records commissioners responding in the roll call as “Mister Vero? Yes. Mister Myers? Yes.” The county will wait for formal quotes on the heating repair and proceed with the contracted painting work pending availability and scheduling.
County staff characterized the actions as operational maintenance and budget transfers rather than new policy changes; no ordinance or statute was cited during the discussion.
