Last week, the Sherburne County Board awarded the contract to repair the atrium roof to Black and Dew Construction in the amount of $175,000.

 

The atrium is a two-story circular area with windows just below the domed ceiling. It is located about 50 feet from the main entrance of the Government Center. Not long after the atrium was added during an expansion project in 1986, employees noticed moisture on the interior wall surface where the ceiling and wall met. During extremely cold weather, icicles could be seen hanging from the atrium’s roof soffit vents.

In 2003, the county attempted to correct the problem by replacing the atrium’s hood with a ventilator fan.

 

But during cold winter weather, employees again noticed water trickling down the walls and icicles forming again. In the past few years, enough water would trickle down to pool on the floor, creating a safety hazard for employees and visitors to the Government Center.

 

The county hired Wold Architects early in 2014 to evaluate what needed to be done to correct the problem. They developed a plan to use spray insulation to cover all the structural steel inside the roof area and add four fans to push warm air away from the ceiling. The estimated cost was $192,000.

 

Last week, Building Facilities Director Kevin Anderson told members of the board he would also like to add $20,000 to the project budget as a contingency to cover an unknowns that might happen once the sheetrock is removed.

 

The board approved the contingency. 

Anderson said the project is expected to start in mid to late August.

 

The board approved the creation of a building expansion committee to examine the need for additional space and reconfigure existing space at the Government Center and other county sites.

 

Members of the committee include: Commissioners John Riebel and Felix Schmiesing, County Administrator Steve Taylor, Public Works Director John Menter, County Attorney Kathleen Heaney, Sheriff Joel Brott, Court Administrator Pat Kuka, HHS Director Mary Jo Cobb, Recorder Michelle Ashe, Building and Facilities Coordinator Kevin Anderson and Central Services Coordinator Lynn George. Initial meetings will examine work done by architects in 2008 when the county originally began planning an expansion project.

 

The board approved an agreement with Promantek, Inc. to provide employee performance evaluation management software at a cost of $26,892 for the first year. The estimated renewal cost is $18,325.

 

In other action the board:

 

• Approved a grant submittal to the Office of Justice Programs by the county attorney’s office for $52,000 for crime victim services;

 

• Approved temporary On-Sale liquor licenses for the Big Lake Lions Club Aug 2-3 at the Big Lake Fire Hall and South Santiago Lutheran Church Sept. 13;

 

•Approved a property tax refund of $316 for Thomas and Lisa Peterson after the assessor’s office verified a mobile home had been removed from their property on 185th Ave. in Big Lake Twp.;

 

• Approved a property tax abatement of $438 for Thomas and Michelle Dahl after a review showed the homestead credit on the home on Lake Ridge Drive in Big Lake had been removed in error;

 

• Approved a property tax abatement of $83.03 for Willard Blake of Zimmerman because of a fire that reduced the value of his house in December, 2013;

 

•Approved a property tax abatement of $126.42 for David and Linda Nims of Elk River because of a fire in July, 2013 that destroyed their house and garage;

 

• Approved the transfer of $95,450 from the Unallocated Recorder’s Compliance Fund to Public Works ($81,000), Zoning ($7,500), Auditor/ Treasurer ($2,950) and County Attorney ($1,000) for various projects;

 

• Approved the submittal of two grant applications by HHS for the Zimmerman Educational Neglect and Support Program ($5,000) and truancy prevention for the Elk River Area School District ($6,500);

 

• Accepted a $1,000 donation from United Way for the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition;

 

• Approved a license renewal for Elk River Landfill Solid Waste Facility.