The Pike County Fiscal Court voted unanimously to retain Summit Architectural Services for a not-to-exceed lump sum of $29,900 to design and administer construction for a replacement Greasy Creek Community Center destroyed in a summer fire. Judge Jones said most of the building cost should be handled through the county's insurance claim and described the architectural fee as covering design, bidding and construction administration.

The court discussed alternatives to rebuilding the previous log-cabin style facility, citing high upkeep and accessibility concerns. Architect Kevin (first name given in the record as Kevin) said the plan under consideration is a slab-on-grade structure roughly 32 by 60 feet (about 1,900 square feet) to ensure ADA accessibility and avoid stairs. He explained that, because the building will be an assembly space for more than 50 people, the design must include architect and engineer stamps for mechanical, electrical, plumbing and structural plans and that the fee includes construction observation and payment-review services.

Commissioner Freddie Lewis asked whether the $29,900 was only for "paper design" or included bidding and administration; Kevin said the fee covers design services, bidding and construction administration and is calculated as a percentage of the construction cost. Jones described the contract as a not-to-exceed lump sum and said the county expects insurance proceeds to cover much of the building cost.

The court approved the retention motion by roll call; Commissioners Scott, Atkins and Lewis and Judge Jones voted yes. Jones said the county will seek a durable, low-maintenance structure with a long warranty rather than another log-cabin package, which he estimated would cost substantially more to build and maintain.

Next steps: Summit will prepare stamped construction documents and support the county through the bidding and construction phases; the court discussed resubmitting to the state building-code division for approval as required for assembly buildings.