Franklin County staff issues deadline to courthouse roof contractor after bond and signed contract not received

County staff told the board on Monday that the low bidder for the Franklin County Courthouse roof replacement had not delivered a signed contract or the required performance bond, prompting staff to prepare a formal notice that would remove the company from consideration if the county did not receive the documents by 12:00 noon on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.

The county's project administrator (Speaker 6) told supervisors the county had not received the bond or a signed contract and that the county attorney had reviewed a drafted letter. The draft states, in part, "please consider this as your notice that if the signed construction contract and the performance bond are not received by Bergland and Kram no later than 12PM noon on Friday, 09/26/2025, we will be forced to terminate your status as a responsive and responsible bidder." The draft was presented to the board for signatures.

Board members said they had expected the procurement to move forward sooner and discussed next steps if the contractor failed to meet the deadline, including the possibility of reissuing the bid. Speaker 3 said the county might have to take the work back out to bid, and staff said they would check available options if the contractor did not comply.

County staff also reported ongoing roof leaks at other county facilities and emphasized the need to complete work before colder weather. An engineer had reviewed aspects of the work and recommended county staff consult the attorney before sending formal notices.

The board did not take a formal vote to terminate the award at the meeting; staff presented the draft notice and asked supervisors to sign it if they agreed. The immediate action directed staff to pursue receipt of the bond and signed contract by the stated deadline and to report back if the conditions were not met.