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County authorizes bids for historic courthouse tuckpointing and granite step repairs
Summary
Facilities staff asked the Stearns County Board to advertise bids for full-length tuckpointing of the courthouse plinth wall, removal and resetting of granite steps and sidewalk repairs because of deteriorating stone and safety concerns; the board authorized advertising and directed staff to return for contract award.
Stearns County’s facilities manager told the board the historic county courthouse has widespread deterioration of exterior granite, including failing mortar joints along the plinth wall and unstable granite steps that sit on a sand cushion and have become a safety hazard.
Kevin Kornick, facilities manager, said the work was planned for 2027 but staff recommended moving the project up to begin this fall and complete tuckpointing and some setting work in the spring because the defects pose an increasing safety risk. Kornick said the work could require specialty or historic-preservation techniques to reset granite slabs that lack a load-bearing structure beneath them.
The board authorized county staff to advertise for bids for the courthouse stone wall, step and concrete maintenance project and directed staff to return with bid results and a recommended contract for board approval. Kornick said the solicitation will be large enough in dollar value that the board would return to approve any contract award.
Why it matters: County officials described the site work as a public-safety issue for courthouse visitors and staff and said accelerating the project will let the county address hazards sooner. Because the courthouse is historic, the repairs may require specialized contractors and potentially additional review when bids are returned.
Next steps: Facilities will post the bid solicitation, solicit proposals and bring bid tabulations and a contract recommendation to the board for approval once results are in.
