Valley County approves McCall Annex sidewalk replacement contract amid warranty concerns

Valley County commissioners on July 7 approved a contract to replace deteriorated sidewalks at the McCall Annex after staff described widespread failure in a north section believed to be due to a poor concrete pour or bad batch.

Scott Terry presented the recommended bidder, identified in the meeting as DeRuid Concrete; the contract and related documents had been reviewed by legal counsel and staff sought the board's approval to sign the agreement. Terry described the specific north-end sidewalk as disintegrated and noted it was not covered by warranty because the work occurred seven years earlier when the juvenile detention space was converted to office space.

Commissioners discussed causes for the failures, noting several recent county sidewalk failures attributed to poor pours or deicing practices. Staff recommended using a different ice melt product during the first winter to limit salt-related damage. Commissioners asked staff to pursue warranty protection where possible and to confirm product choices and installation oversight.

A motion to approve the McCall Annex sidewalk replacement contract was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote. The board did not provide dollar amounts or a contract execution date at the meeting; staff said two signature blocks needed to be completed for roof/contract signatures and that the county contract requires each signatory's address.

The replacement was framed as maintenance and safety work for areas used by probation, parole and court services; staff said they would follow up on warranty options and winter protection measures.