Cooke County approves repairs and electrical upgrades at former EMS building

The Cooke County Commissioners Court on May 26 approved a contractor’s quote to repair the siding, soffit and fascia at the former EMS building on Chestnut Street and to upgrade the building’s electrical system.

The motion, made and seconded during the meeting, passed unanimously 5-0. Commissioners discussed contractor language that would allow extra charges if hidden rot is discovered: “He put a clause in there that in case there was some rotted wood, there might be an additional charge,” said the presenter. The contractor warned that if rot is found the extra cost could be roughly $800–$1,000.

Commissioners also reviewed an estimate to upgrade electrical panels and breakers at about $10,000 and discussed a combined improvement budget in the ballpark of $24,000. One commissioner noted there is a county line item for building repairs (referred to in the meeting as the “3.50” line) that could cover the work. “We haven’t touched that $3.50 line out of it very much this year,” a staff member said while discussing funding options.

Following discussion about whether to defer work until a future court takes office, a motion was made to proceed with the repairs and to also address the needed electrical upgrades; the motion passed 5-0. Commissioners asked staff to coordinate the electrical sub‑work and to return any additional quotes or significant change orders to the court for approval.

Next steps: staff will contract the work and follow up with any change-order estimates if rotten structural members require replacement.