Valley County buildings and grounds director reports water intrusion, jail shower failures and upcoming bids

Buildings and Grounds Director Klingen told the Valley County board on Feb. 10 that county facilities are facing multiple maintenance and safety issues, including water intrusion near the Maritime Building, degraded tile in jail showers that may require showers to be taken out of service, problems with several heat pumps and an oil-fired heater at the Lake Fork shop, and an upcoming bid opening for transfer-station improvements.

The most immediate safety concern Klingen described was standing water and a blocked drain near a public sidewalk outside an unnamed county building. "Our drain out front is drained across the sidewalk and causes a bit of a mess," Klingen said. He said crews have coned and signed the area and placed ice melt and sand, and that a French drain had been installed previously to reduce future problems. Klingen said a contractor is scheduled to install a sump pump behind an interior wall at the Maritime Building after recent leaks; he said the plumber was delayed by illness but that the county expects the work to occur…