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Second lead wipe test fails; county agrees to extend Brownfields loan and delay tenant move‑ins
Summary
A failed lead wipe test in the Petroleum County courthouse prompted officials to authorize work and expand a Brownfields loan by $20,000 to cover additional rounds of testing; ACES will fund elevator contractor invoices and tenants cannot return until the building passes testing.
Petroleum County officials recorded on July 6 that the courthouse failed a second lead wipe test, a result that will require additional remediation and testing before tenants can reoccupy the building.
County minutes state that the board agreed Tiffany of SMD should prepare paperwork to increase the county's Brownfields loan by $20,000 to fund at least four more rounds of testing if needed. Robie Culver reviewed remaining grant balances and contractor estimates and outlined a plan to retest after the contractor, TW Clark, finishes work and the floors are recoated. The minutes note the next test is likely to occur in the last week of August and that no tenants will be allowed to move in until the courthouse passes testing.
The issue matters because the lead-wipe failure affects health and safety and delays restoration of occupied county facilities. County officials and contractors focused the discussion on the scope of additional cleanup, the funding gap to complete testing, and a retesting schedule.
ACES representative Laura Nowlin told the board that Tourism Grant funds will be used to pay contractor invoices related to courthouse work and that the auditor would later record the work as a capital improvement to county property. Nowlin added, "No county funds will be spent on the elevator." Diane Cochran was tasked with drafting a three‑way agreement among ACES, TW Clark and Petroleum County for the elevator project.
Commissioners also raised related facilities concerns: masonry work on window troughs and the lack of a handrail on an exterior basement staircase. The minutes record that the latest lead test results were forwarded to a contractor named Brad for his review.
Next steps recorded in the minutes: Tiffany of SMD will file paperwork to increase the Brownfields loan by $20,000; TW Clark will complete remaining work and recoating; staff will schedule retesting, likely the last week of August. The county will not permit tenant move‑ins until the building passes the required tests.
