Courthouse roof project outlined

A four-part project to address failing roofs and drainage problems at the courthouse was explained when Phillips County Commissioners reported the County’s April activity Friday, April 28.
    First, concrete roofs over the old coal bin on the north side of the courthouse and the old vestibule room on the east side are failing and need to be restored and repaired.
    Once that is repaired, drain water from the courthouse roof will need to be diverted to keep water off the restored coal bin roof.  
    Next, joints will need repointing and pieces of the terra-cotta cap on the courthouse roof will need reset. The final effort will involve caulking the vertical elevation between the original courthouse and the newer elevator addition.
    Fixing the roof will cost an estimated $37,000, and a Colorado Historical Fund grant has been received to cover half of that cost. The cost of addressing additional drainage issues has not been finalized.
    
    50 miles of county roads to be rebuilt
    Phillips County road and bridge department rebuilt 53 miles of county roads last year, and the goal is to rebuild at least 50 more miles in 2017.
    Letters were sent recently to landowners who are adjacent to the scheduled rebuild segments. The County typically uses the entire 60 feet of right-of-way when rebuilding the roads, and landowners were advised that crops planted in those right-of-ways will be destroyed when rebuilding occurs. The County intends to post upcoming build segments on its website.
   From April 3 into October of this year, the road and bridge department and weed district will be working four 10-hour days per week.
    
    Other business
    In other business in the month of April, commissioners:
    —Discussed repaving the east courthouse parking lot, hoping to address drainage issues between the courthouse and the Comm Center. Repaving will cost approximately $33,000 and should begin in early summer.
    —Conducted an after-action meeting with Sheriff Rob Urbach and Emergency Manager Bob Heldenbrand at the Haxtun Community Center Tuesday, April 11, for individuals and agencies from Logan and Phillips counties to discuss the March wildfire.
    —Scheduled June 2-3 as free landfill days for Paoli and county residents, and May 10-11 is set for Holyoke residents.
    —Worked on Daniels Fund and Boettcher Fund grant applications to be submitted in May for the Pavilion and Education Building Project. Committed funds for the $1.6 million project are currently at $838,000.