By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
A few concerned citizens presented the local press with a list of questions they had concerning the work being done to remodel the county building.
Names must accompany such lists, even though the questioners would prefer to remain anonymous. Once those names are presented to the press the questioners can have their names withheld. Such was the case in this situation.
"I would hope that people would know that they could put themselves on the agenda and come and ask us their questions directly," said Byron Woodland, commissioner.
Commissioners were asked why the building permit was signed on January 19 and the stairs were taken out on January 13.
"The timing on removal of the stairs was a little off," said Rick Carlton, commission chairman.
He said that had been done before the building permit was signed.
He said that the stairs were taken down during the weekend prior to signing of the building permit. That was done to keep the dust down while the building was occupied.
Carlton signed as owner and contractor on the building permit application. "As the chairman, I signed the building permit," he said.
He had the authority to do that and had the support of the commission prior to doing so.
CKR Engineering, Orem, are a structural engineering firm and they worked with the county to do the preliminary drawings and to assist the county in cost estimates prior to putting the project out to bid.
"CKR Engineering was paid last year, in 2016, $5,500 for their services," said Carlton.
The items that the commission were most concerned about were the engineering of the second floor offices and the holes which would be made in the walls to allow expansion of the office area downstairs.
The original idea was that a steel plate would be used to make the area sound but that idea was changed.
"We added two headers instead," he said. "We decided to over-build."
The headers provided more strength to the structure even though it was not needed because the wall that was opened into the clerk's office was not load-bearing.
Was the building properly checked for asbestos and who did the testing? Carlton said that nothing was more important than public safety and there had been no asbestos in the areas that they are rebuilding.
"None of the pipes were wrapped in asbestos," said Clinton Painter, commissioner.
There was no need for an asbestos inspection because there was no reason to expect that there was any in the area they would be working in nor in the type of work that would be done. They removed the stairs, which had none.
Upstairs, they moved a wall which was sheetrock.
"The building inspector has signed off on every aspect of the project," said Carlton. "In fact, he would not sign off on the handrails on the stairs leading to the upstairs from the hallway."
He said that they were too low, did not meet current building standards in the way they were connected to the wall and did not have the proper curve at the top to keep people from getting clothing caught.
Commissioners were asked why the application only listed government offices with no specifics as far as square feet, floors or other pertinent information was concerned.
Each part of the project is being funded in a different way, said Carlton. When the construction is complete, representatives from each of those funding sources will come to Nephi and go through the building. At that time, Carlton will be expected to produce all the necessary documentation to satisfy the requirements of each.
"We are under budget," said Carlton.
Woodland said that anyone who did any remodeling would affirm that remodeling projects could go over because of the nature of remodeling.
"You never know for certain what you will find," he said.
The Health Department remodeling was one grant, the clerk's office was another, and the office to be used by Margie Memmott, regional extension director, was subsidized by her department.
The project was advertised as a design–build. A design-build is a project delivery system used in the construction industry. It is a method to deliver a project in which the design and construction services are contracted by a single entity known as the design–builder or design–build contractor.
Ryan Lynn Construction was awarded the bid as a design-build contractor.
Carlton is not a licensed contractor and, therefore, has no license number but is over the building remodeling by previous assignment of the commission and, therefore, continues over the project.
Did the engineering firm insure the building structurally sound on the remodel and was the remodel engineered for earthquakes?
The integrity of the building was not changed, said Carlton. The earthquake remodel done in the early 1980s had taken care of earthquake proofing and nothing had been done to change that.
Copies of the plans only seem to cover the old clerks office area. Are there plans for the north half of the building?
"There are plans are for all areas of the remodeling project," said Carlton. "Upstairs and downstairs and north and south on both floors."
Project funding is under the jurisdiction of the Juab Municipal Building Authority with commissioners wearing two hats: they serve as commissioners and as the building authority. The purpose of the authority is to acquire, improve or extend projects and finance their costs on behalf of the county.
By motion, the commission leaves commission meeting and convenes as the building authority. When done with business there, by motion they leave that meeting and by motion reconvene as the commission.
