Change orders plague courthouse remodel

SANDPOINT — Change orders are dogging the remodeling of the Bonner County Courthouse.

Bonner County commissioners have approved a dozen change orders since work began last year, but the board rejected the 13th and 14th change orders on Tuesday until they meet with the project’s architectural and construction contractors and court officials.

“We were over budget before these showed up,” commission Chairman Lewie Rich said of the two latest change orders, which amount to a total of $29,500.

Commissioner Mike Nielsen said the remodeling bid came in at about $830,000 and another $170,000 was set aside for unanticipated costs that can crop up when workers start tearing into a 110-year-old building.

“Right now, we’re looking at 20-percent cost overruns and that doesn’t sit well with me. That’s too high,” Nielsen said.

The remodel adds another first-floor courtroom, an elevator to bring the building into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, a fire-suppression system and a host of other improvements.

The project is being funded by a mixture of money from the county and 1st District Court.

The commission does not dispute some of the unforeseen costs. In one instance, a wall was torn down and it was discovered that a structural support was simply resting unanchored on masonry.

Nielsen said around $14,000 was allocated to rid the building of asbestos. But one of the pending change orders seeks another $17,400 in asbestos-removal funds after more of the material was found above some ceiling tiles in an upstairs courtroom, which Nielsen suspects should have been discovered during the scope-of-work inspection.

“There’s more to come — that’s the problem,” Nielsen said of the change orders.

There is only about $9,000 left in the project’s contingency fund, which means neither of the latest change orders could have been paid for on Tuesday.

Nielsen anticipates additional funding can ultimately be drummed up to finish the project. In the meantime, commissioners are scheduled to meet with Lombard-Conrad Architects, Ginno Construction and district Judge Steve Verby on Friday.

“I want all the players in the room so we can sit down and work out a plan for how we’re going to finish and pay for this project,” said Nielsen.