Petroleum County delays elevator, pursues Brownfield grant as courthouse project stalls for abatement

Petroleum County commissioners on Jan. 22 decided not to add a new elevator to the Courthouse Rejuvenation Project and to reallocate the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds that had been set aside for it, continuing the project with a reduced scope while pursuing a Brownfield grant that could fund abatement work.

The commission reviewed guidance from the Montana Department of Commerce indicating the CDBG funds should be applied elsewhere in the renovation. Commissioners and project representatives — Robie Culver, Cody Hammel and Shane Rid (via Zoom) — discussed contingency funding and project sequencing. Because Brownfield-related abatement remains unresolved, the project is expected to stall for about six to eight weeks while abatement is completed, the minutes state.

Why it matters: the decision changes both the technical scope of the courthouse work (no elevator will be installed under the current plan) and the project schedule. County leaders said pursuing the Brownfield grant remains the preferred path despite the delay because abatement must be finished before several construction tasks can proceed.

Commissioners and staff discussed several implementation details that remain unresolved: whether TW Clark will need two separate contracts with Safetec because of wage issues; the need for three-phase power given a reduced project footprint; and outstanding demolition plans that project manager Brad must finalize pending MPE results from GMP documents. The minutes note the six-month contract clock for TW Clark’s general-conditions fees will not start until abatement begins. Project staff were instructed to push for finalized demolition drawings, obtain required plans and drawings and secure the state building permit before work resumes.

The commission also discussed contingency funding shortfalls tied to HLA’s errors and omissions and options to identify savings by dropping the elevator (framing and electrical cost reductions). Robie Culver and Shane Rid were recorded as continuing to pursue an additional State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) grant even though available funds have diminished. Project participants agreed to maintain regular Zoom coordination meetings during the stall period.

The minutes do not list dollar amounts for the CDBG funds, the Brownfield grant, estimated abatement costs, or specific schedule dates beyond the 6–8-week projected delay. The record also does not attribute a specific formal motion to adopt the revised scope; it records the board’s decision to reallocate the elevator-designated CDBG funds and to pursue the Brownfield grant.