Commissioners approve service agreement to finish work at Greene County Airport
More than one year after fire damaged a building at the Greene County Airport, county commissioners approved paying for restorations services using money from the insurance settlement.
On Thursday, the commissioners unanimously voted to approve the contracting services agreement with Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration Inc. in the amount of $399,436.
On March 24, 2021, a fire broke out at the airport building’s radio room. While the fire did relatively little physical damage, significant smoke and water damage was experienced throughout the building.
As county officials began working with the insurance company and started hiring contractors to repair the building, they ran into unexpected difficulties like the need to totally rewire the electrical system and upgrade ventilation duct work.
Additionally, the schematic drawings of the building were old, and needed to be redrawn before the bulk of the work could begin.
Magisterial District Judge Glenn Bates’ office, which had been at the airport, has been in a temporary space at the county courthouse since the fire. The Airport Restaurant has also been closed since March 2021.
On Thursday, Chief Clerk Jeff Marshall said the county received the insurance settlement a couple of weeks ago, which allowed the contractor to start the necessary work. He said crews are currently at the airport, and have finished electrical work at Bates’ office, and plan to begin painting and working on drywall this week and next week. Following that, they’ll begin work at the restaurant.
“Things are progressing and happening like they should,” Marshall said.
When the work is finally completed in what is hoped to be in the coming months, the building will be practically brand new and up to code, officials said.
Commissioner Mike Belding called the repairs “a long-fought process.”
“But there’s light at the end of the tunnel,” said Commissioner Betsy McClure.
“It’s just taken forever, and it’s really been in the hands of the insurance and the contractors,” said Commissioner Blair Zimmerman.
In other business, the commissioners:
n Approved the purchase agreement with Advent Communications for additional visual surveillance equipment at the Greene County Jail at a cost of $17,783.28. The Jail Tech Fund will pay $7,666.88 toward the purchase, and the remaining $10,116.40 will be paid for with American Rescue Act funds.
n Approved the advertisement of the sale of five county vehicles and four other pieces of equipment at the Spring Consignment Auction scheduled for Saturday, April 16 at 9:30 a.m. at the Greene County Fairgrounds.