Adams County Board prepares financing plan for $9 million courthouse roof/HVAC project

QUINCY — The Adams County Board is looking to bond out the replacement of the courthouse’s roof and Heating and Air Conditioning system over 15 years.

Since the County Board had previously approved the bond payments for up to $900,000 annually, Finance Committee Chairman Travis Cooley (R-District 4) told the County Board Tuesday night that the committee supported a plan for interest-only payments of about $300,000 for the first two years, theny principal-and-interest payments of just under $900,000 for the next 13 years.

Adams County Board Chairman Bret Austin said the County was trying to offset a potential general fund cash crunch during the first two years as there are still bond payments of $600,000 due on building costs at the Adams County Health Department.

But Cooley said the County Board will ask the Health Department and its board, which is independent from the County Board, if it would take on two of the courthouse bond payments, which would enable the County to make the $900,000 payments of interest and principal from the beginning and shorten the bond requirement from 15 to 13 years. Austin said he was in conversations with Health Department Administrator Jerrod Welch about that possibility.

The board approved pursuing these options.

Transportation, Building, and Technology Committee Chairman Dave Bellis (R-District 3) explained the delay for the start of the South 48th Street project as needed materials have not yet arrived. He said there is a new projected construction start date and closure of June 23, but stressed that was tentative.

Bellis added that work is continuing on the courthouse’s roof and HVAC and that June 19 would be a full work day for contractors as the courthouse will be closed for Juneteenth.

Austin also presented an award to former Adams County Board Chairman Les Post who retired from the County Board in March.