County looking to keep project on budget

The restoration of the Donley County Courthouse is one month behind schedule, but the cause of the delay is an effort to keep the project on budget.

County officials had hoped to begin advertising for bids last month. Now they hope to start advertising next week, according to County Judge Jack Hall.

Representatives from architectural firm Volz & Associates will meet with commissioners in a called meeting this Friday at 1:30 p.m. in the Courthouse Annex to discuss the project.

Hall said the architects have been busy in recent weeks seeking approval from the Texas Historical Commission (THC) for cost cutting measures in case bids for the $3 million project come in too high.

“They want to get approval ahead of time, otherwise it would be a long process after the bids come in,” Hall said.

The county and its architects are concerned because bids for other courthouse projects around the state have come in over budget. Hall said Llano County’s bids came in about $500,000 over budget, and last month The Rockdale Reporter said bids for Milam County’s project were approximately $300,000 over expectations.

Donley County hopes to avoid a similar situation with the local project by incorporating options – called “deductive alternates” – in the bidding process that would allow commissioners to keep the restoration within budget but not affect the restored outward appearance of the 1890 building.

Some items that may be looked at could include roofing materials, the use of cast-stone versus quarried stone, below-grade waterproofing near the courthouse’s foundation, or chimney reconstructions. The county may also have to look at not finishing the interior of the third-story tower and dormers, which were torn off in 1937 and will be reconstructed.

County officials are also hopeful that bids from area construction companies may be more competitive than those received by counties downstate.

“This may go to bid and everything be fine,” architect Chris Hutson told county commissioners in April, “but I would rather prepare for it now than [the county] be hit with sticker shock when the bids come in.”

For more information about the Donley County Courthouse project, click here.