Cowlitz County approves $9.15 million Hall of Justice renovation, designates Mike Moss to sign

Cowlitz County commissioners voted to approve a project funding authorization totaling $9,153,000 for renovations at the Hall of Justice and designated Mike Moss as the county—s authorized signer for the contract and related change orders.

The approval covers a construction contract held by Millig (contractor name in the packet) with a contract value just over $8 million, an owner-held contingency of approximately $363,000 (5% plus an additional $80,000 held for equipment price risk), and an owners—all-in figure the county staff presented as about $9.15 million. Commissioners approved the package during a public meeting after staff summarized technical, schedule and cost details.

Savannah Clement, Public Works and Public Services, said staff returned to the board to address follow-up questions from a prior workshop and to request the funding authorization and signer designation. Clement said the project team used the RSMeans construction-cost database to estimate maintenance and life-cycle costs and left the combined annual utility and maintenance estimate at about $100,000 per year as a conservative figure.

Staff described work scoped for the HOJ as mechanical and controls upgrades, including removal of air compressors, rehabilitation or…