Commissioners get five bids for courthouse repairs

Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Red Willow County commissioners opened bids at their meeting Monday morning to tuck-point the county courthouse. In 1927, architect Marcus L. Evans was paid $9,746.34 for his “Grecian-Doric” design and supervision of construction. The new courthouse cost $242,303.26.
Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. — Red Willow County commissioners were surprised, and pleased, that they received five bids for tuck-pointing the county’s 92-year-old three-story limestone and brick courthouse.

This will be the first time the courthouse, which measures 70x100 feet, is tuck-pointed since its dedication on May 25, 1927. Construction of the county’s third courthouse was authorized by an election on Jan. 1, 1926. The cornerstone for the new building was laid by Chris Hansen American Legion Post No. 203 on Aug. 24, 1926.

Commissioners made no selection of a tuck-pointing company Monday, but they and Greg Holthus, the courthouse’s maintenance director (and according to commission chairman Earl McNutt, “the caretaker of the courthouse”), will study the five bids for a week. They’ll make a decision at the commissioners’ April 2 meeting at 9:30 a.m.

The cornerstone of the Red Willow County Courthouse.
Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette

Bid specs asked for the project to be divided into two work areas: The north, south and east exteriors, which are buff Bedford limestone blocks; and the west exterior, which is a color-matched buff brick.

The five bids were:

* Nedi Masonry Repair, Waterloo, Iowa: Work area 1, $65,000; Work area 2, $25,000; for a total of $90,000.

* Karr Tuck-pointing, Vinton, Iowa: Work area 1, $42,721; work area 2, $39,881; for a total of $82,602.

* Mid-Continental Restorations, Fort Scott, Kan.: Work area 1, $72,212; Work area 2, $52,524; for a total of $126,798.

* Scott Martin Construction, McCook: Work area 1, $42,500; Work area 2, $45,000; for a total of $87,500.

* Gagner Restoration, Lincoln: Work area 1, $68,582; Work area 2, $35,261; for a total of $102,843.

Commissioners and Holthus said they were surprised and upset that a potential subcontractor had “experimented” with his cleaning product on an area of the courthouse after-hours. “This is not how we do bids,” McNutt said.

The courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: