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Commission approves $37,000 McKinley contract for courthouse sidewalk after cost objections
Summary
The commission approved a $37,000 lump‑sum project management agreement with McKinley Architecture & Engineering for sidewalk improvements at the Harrison County Courthouse despite commissioners objecting that the fee appeared high compared with concrete costs.
The Harrison County Commission voted June 17 to approve a project management agreement with McKinley Architecture & Engineering for sidewalk improvements in front of the county courthouse, awarding a lump‑sum fee the firm listed as $37,000.
Commissioners debated whether the fee was appropriate. One commissioner objected that the proposed fee exceeded estimates for the concrete work itself, saying, "This is more than what it's gonna cost to do the concrete work itself." Another commissioner asked whether county staff could complete the work or coordinate with the City of Clarksburg to reduce costs.
County staff described the scope as including design services, cost estimating, permitting, bidding and construction administration, and clarified that materials such as concrete were not included in the $37,000 fee. Staff and a commissioner set a goal of finishing the project before the Italian festival and agreed to work with McKinley to accelerate the timeline.
Despite the objections, a motion to approve the agreement carried on a voice vote. Commissioners asked staff to follow up with a schedule and to report progress to the commission by August. "If you two will let Laura and I move forward, I will do all I can do... to get done by the end of August," a commissioner said.
The commission recorded no roll‑call vote in the minutes; the item passed by voice vote.
What the decision means: The county has authorized professional services for design and procurement of the courthouse sidewalk project and should expect separate project costs for materials and construction once bidding is complete. Commissioners asked staff for clearer timelines and a commitment to have the work in place before a planned community festival.
Provenance: McKinley fee and the debate are recorded in the meeting transcript under agenda item 14; staff stated the lump sum fee as $37,000 and multiple commissioners discussed cost comparisons with concrete estimates.
