Commissioners approve bidding remediation for former Pathways building; coroner outlines morgue equipment and generator needs

County Administrator John Gorton told the Board that Building C (the former Pathways facility, roughly 9,200 square feet) requires remediation work before any renovation or tenanting can occur. Gorton said a third-party remediation report confirmed moisture intrusion and that staff will advertise remediation bids and return cost estimates to the Board.

Coroner David Boyd, who attended the meeting, said the county’s current three-body refrigerator at the old hospital is inadequate for larger decedents and recommended upgrading to a larger body cooler. He presented three vendor quotes for a 10-body cooler (examples provided to the Board ranged from roughly $23,000 to $34,345, with shipping pushing some totals near $27,000), and estimated a likely equipment cost of about $30,000. Boyd also noted that installation, electrical work and a standby generator to power the cooler during outages will add to the project cost; Gorton and Boyd said they will solicit installation quotes.

Gorton estimated remediation would take 30–45 days to develop a complete cost once bids are received and said his informal remediation estimate based on prior local work was roughly $30,000–$40,000. Commissioners discussed using the facility in part as a community warming and cooling center on the upper floor while the morgue occupies the portion with floor drains and direct exterior access. No construction or purchase funds were approved at the meeting; the Board directed staff to advertise and return firm remediation and installation bids for later consideration.

Next steps: remediation bid solicitation and vendor quotes for a 10-body cooler and generator installation, followed by a cost-and-scope presentation to the Board.