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Architect: courthouse roof must be replaced; clock tower recladding could cost about $722,000
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Summary
Farnsworth architect Kelsey Vetter told the board the courthouse suffered hail damage and recommended public bidding; she presented a base‑bid for roof replacement and a $722,000 alternate to remove and reclad the clock tower, with recladding taking an estimated 26–34 weeks at the manufacturer.
Kelsey Vetter of Farnsworth told Page County supervisors that hail damage to the courthouse roof and clock tower requires a public bid for replacement under Iowa procurement rules.
Vetter said the base bid will replace the courthouse’s copper roofing and that an alternate bid would cover removing and recladding the entire clock tower. "The preliminary quote we got for that work was $722,000 just for the recladding of the clock tower," Vetter said. She added the contractor would remove the clock tower in panels, ship it to the manufacturer and reassemble it on site.
The architect presented a combined cost range of $1.4 million to $1.5 million that included the clock tower; she estimated the courthouse roof portion alone, with contingency, at just over $600,000. Vetter said the manufacturer estimated 26–34 weeks to complete recladding at their facility and that the county’s insurance carrier indicated coverage would be considered after bids were reviewed.
Board members discussed whether to include alternates for partial clock‑tower repairs or to require full recladding to ensure color and weathering match. The architect warned that multiple alternates can discourage bidders; the recommendation on a single base bid with a clock‑tower alternate was favored so a single general contractor could coordinate both tasks.
Staff noted the insurer will hold funds through Dec. 2026 (per a board remark) and the board agreed to place the item on a future agenda after reviewing the architect’s progress drawings and cost sheets.
