County reports progress on jail roof; courthouse exterior work delayed by brick-matching challenge

Warren County staff updated the body on ongoing facility work, reporting progress on the jail roof and outlining next steps for the older courthouse exterior.

Staff said one tier of the jail roof has been completed while another required additional demolition after crews uncovered an extra roofing layer. That extra layer delayed full removal in October, the presentation said, and staff now expect the remaining roof work to be completed in a matter of weeks and the exterior restoration to take a few months.

Officials told the meeting they are having difficulty finding a matching orange-colored brick for the oldest portion of the courthouse. Sample boards with multiple candidate bricks have been reviewed and additional samples will be examined in an upcoming session. "We've gone through, you know, eight or 10 of those sample boards with eight or 10 bricks a piece on them. We can't find something that's quite right," staff said.

Staff also noted that redoing window caulking raises asbestos considerations and that some bricks—particularly along the front of the jail on 4th Avenue—have deteriorated and will need replacement. A member asked whether community members could have removed bricks; staff said disposition would require a formal surplus process (auction or sealed bids) and warned older bricks may crumble when handled.

No formal votes occurred on these items during the meeting. Staff said both roof tiers and exterior work are scheduled to finish this year and that they will coordinate with roofing contractors and bring sample matches back for approval.