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County office building repairs, contamination access and consultant bids dominate committee discussion
Summary
Committee members discussed contaminated areas of the County Office Building (COB), vendor access and safety protocols, a draft cause‑and‑origin report, and the county's request for project management bids for COB projects.
CAYUGA COUNTY ' Committee members on May 21 were briefed on active repairs and contamination access at the County Office Building and reviewed bids to hire external project managers and environmental consultants for renovations and remediation.
County staff described a leak and warranty work for the Hardenberg roof and separate outstanding certification work for the County Office Building roof that requires architect confirmation. Staff said rooftop access is possible via an open stairwell, but parts of the building remain inaccessible because of contamination control measures erected by responders and contractors.
A county staff member explained the operational need for multiple vendors to access the COB basement to maintain critical infrastructure, including the chiller, electrical systems, 9‑1‑1 backup equipment and data‑center components. "There are 3 different vendors coming in. I scheduled those 3 different days and based off of who needs to be the first one to access," a staff member said, describing coordinated scheduling to complete pipe repairs, feed‑water work and a two‑day chiller process.
Committee members asked about safety and public concern over lights that remain on in the vacant building. Staff said panels on floors 1, 3, 4 and 5 have been turned off; other panels on floors 2 and 6 are currently inaccessible because contractors have built containment structures over switchgear. Emergency lights that are not panel‑controlled remain on for safety and have not been disabled.
A draft cause‑and‑origin report for the building incident is complete in draft form but does not include scope estimates for remediation costs, staff said. The county is arranging a meeting with Colliers and Lozier (consultants referenced in bidding and emergency response work) to review the draft and clarify recommendations before finalizing the report. The staff member said the report is a draft and will be discussed with the Legislature before public release.
Separately, the committee reviewed the results of a county bid process to secure outside consultants for project management and environmental services tied to COB projects. Staff said the county solicited proposals through its website, BidNet and regional newspapers, held pre‑bid conferences, and received a mix of responses including temporary staffing agencies and specialized firms. The selected vendor for project management services proposed a senior project manager rate of $135 per hour; environmental specialist rates were quoted higher (one example cited at about $250 per hour). Staff said the selected team has experience with counties, towns and villages and will provide feasibility analysis, cost estimates and a hybrid delivery model that staff will present to the full Legislature.
The committee also discussed safety protocols for contractors accessing contaminated areas: contractors must wear PPE, use respirators, be escorted, and have decontamination facilities on site. Staff said these measures increase costs but are required for compliance.
The committee asked for a public update once the draft cause‑and‑origin findings are reviewed with consultants and finalized. A staff member said a meeting with Colliers and other consultants will be arranged "next week" to review the draft and next steps.
