Washington County remodeling project: roughly $670,000 in change orders; Phase 2 to reopen Sept. 8

Steve (Presenter) updated the Washington County Building Project Committee on progress and costs for the county remodeling project, saying exterior work on the east side is complete and interior Phase 2 work is “well underway.” He said islands, curbs, sidewalks, bollards, light poles, new asphalt, fencing, signage and landscaping are finished and that one owner‑supplied rubberized mulch product remains to be installed.

Steve said Phase 1 completed in early May and that Phase 2 framing and drywall on the first and second floors are mostly finished; the county clerk, treasurer and register of deeds areas are painted and expected to reopen on Sept. 8, with an owner move into final spaces projected for the first full week of January. "We're starting our way into some of the areas that are not getting construction necessarily, but are getting new flooring, carpet, painting," he said.

On change orders, Steve reported the project has recorded roughly 90 change orders to date — up from about 60 in April — totaling roughly $670,000. He attributed most of that amount to unforeseen conditions in a 65‑year‑old building, specifically electrical, mechanical and plumbing repairs and environmental surveys and asbestos abatement, plus a handful of inspector‑required code fixes and owner‑requested layout changes such as an egress exit by the new elevator.

Cara (Staff member) presented budget tracking for the full construction package: total project funding of $8,066,501 and contracted/committed spend reported in the meeting packet at approximately $7.0 million (the transcript contains a garbled detailed figure). Cara said about $616,000 remains in identified remaining projects and the project contingency currently sits at about $281,000. She warned that relocation and data‑migration costs for the clerk of courts (about 22 staff) and the district attorney's office (about 17 staff) are still being quantified and could strain contingency. "We expect to have those numbers likely by the next meeting," she said.

Committee members asked whether remaining contingency will be sufficient; Steve replied the team anticipates using much of the remaining funds, particularly as Phase 3 moves into older areas of the building where additional unforeseen conditions are more likely. Supervisors emphasized applying lessons from this remodel to any future new construction to limit scope growth and change orders.

The committee did not take any formal votes. Staff said they will return with updated relocation cost estimates and contingencies at the next committee meeting, expected in early August.