More money approved for Old Courthouse

Lorain County commissioners approved more change orders for the Old Lorain County Courthouse at their Feb. 28 meeting.

The change orders are equivalent to $267,294 more being paid on the project which already has cost the county more than $5 million.

The orders also extend the completion date for the projects to May 4.

South Shore Electric will receive $27,986 for labor and materials for work on the Law Enforcement and Fire-EMS Memorial, which will be placed on the south side of the historic structure.

The company also will receive $9,533 to provide automatic operators, push pads and accessories for the entrances.

Mosser Construction will receive $226,735 for materials and labor for the same memorial.

Sona Construction and Plumbing will receive $1,045 for labor and material to relocate and extend an existing three-inch vent pipe on the third floor landing of the northeast stairwell of the building, which will provide fire stopping at ceiling penetration.

Sona also will receive $1,994 to snake jet and clear obstructions below the urinals and stalls on the lower level men’s restrooms.

County Administrator James Cordes said the only change order the commissioners approved

at the meeting was the push buttons, because the devices were not included in the original specifications for the project.

“These documents are very complicated; there’s a lot of moving parts to them,” Cordes said.”So, occasionally, there’s been something that should have been in it that’s been omitted.”

The push buttons are important because they give the proper access to the building, he said.

Cordes added that the plumbing change orders are imperative because the pipes in the building are old.

“Every time we go in somewhere the pipes are decaying, they’re rotting, they’re falling apart,” he said. “This is probably the fourth change order with regard to plumbing that we’ve done. I hope this is the last one.”

In other news, the commissioners approved an engagement letter with Frost Brown Todd LLC of Columbus to provide legal services related to the county’s sewer agreements.

Lorain County Assistant Prosecutor Gerald Innes said there only needed to be some tweaks to the language in the contracts.

Cordes said the county had worked with the firm on the recent Pheasant

Run project and the expertise provided by the team will be valuable going forward with the contracts.

Also, commissioners approved a request for the Ohio Department of Transit to form a speed zone study for Henwell Road between Marian and Hawke roads in Eaton Township asking the agency to impose a speed limit of 35 miles per hour.

During the public comment section of the meeting, Jackie Elsleger of LaGrange Township, spoke about the need for a residential facility for residents with disabilities.

Elsleger said her 9-yearold son has autism, is lowfunctioning and has epilepsy.

Because of this, Elsleger said she and her husband are required to do everything for him.

“We need a facility,” she said. “What is going to happen to him when he turns 18? And what is going to happen to him if my husband and I are not around?

“Where is he going to go? Who is going to take care of him?

“These facilities are instrumental, not just for us, but there are families all throughout the county who we work with who have nowhere to take their children.”

The commissioners took the woman’s information and offered to give her a list of services provided in the county.