County approves two VFD contracts

ANDERSON- Two more contracts with local volunteer fire departments within the county were approved during the regular meeting of Grimes County Commissioners Court Wednesday, Nov. 27.

The contracts between Grimes County and Anderson and Iola VFDs were presented to the court with revisions. Grimes County Emergency Management Services coordinator David Lily brought forth the proposed revision of 4.05C that originally read “All training qualifications must be approved by a certified instructor and approved by the Emergency Management Services Coordinator.”

With the proposed revision 4.05C will read All training qualifications must be approved by a certified instructor. In the absence of such certified by the fire chief and approved by the Emergency Management Services Coordinator.

Lily clarified the reason for the revision, “This is referring to any specialized capabilities where there is no certified training available at this time such as the use of UTVs.”

The second revision is 4.05D of the contract. “This only reflects the capability the firefighter has to differentiate that from the role of an EMS. When they are responding to an incident or accident they are responding as firefighters and their EMS background is what we call a force extender that gives them more capabilities to be able to work with not to act or perform the role of EMS,” explained Lily.

Precinct 4 Commissioner Phillip Cox asked if the contracts differed from the contracts previously approved by commissioners between the county and other VFDs. “Each fire department negotiates its own contract with the county and subsequent versions of the contract will include all these other elements for other departments as we move forward but for now the contracts that are already in place for the fire departments that have already been approved are still in good standing,” explained Lily.

Judge Joe Fauth III spoke on unified language, “Commissioners it would be our desire that when next year rolls around we will have a unified language that will be acceptable to all eight departments.”

Lily added, “The changes that have taken place on all these contracts have primarily been a direct result of the really good input from the fire departments and fire chiefs themselves that have helped us to hammer this out and to clarify, which is what the process is meant to do to make the contracts more realistic and match what the fire departments are providing.”

Courthouse repairs

Grimes County Building maintenance manager Al Peeler brought a Courthouse Structural Repair Change Order Proposal before the court to repoint old brickwork.

Repointing is the process of renewing the pointing which is the external part of mortar joints in masonry construction. Over time weathering and decay cause voids in the joints between masonry units allowing water to enter.

The same bricks will still be used according to Nick Swanson, od Everest Construction and Restoration. He stated its anticipated that only 13 bricks will have to be replaced.

“The reason it was not in the original bid of the courthouse structural repairs is because it wasn’t related to Hurricane Harvey,” said Peeler.

Peeler said that 75 percent of the courthouse is already being repointed as part of the Hurricane Harvey restoration but the remaining needs to be repointed. On the back of the courthouse I failed to notice but you can stick your finger in a hole between the brick and not touch mortar,” explained Peeler. Peeler said that is a concern because it leads to the second story hallway.

According to Peeler it has been at least 125 years since the entire courthouse has been repointed because there aren’t any records of repointing in that time frame. Peeler said the negotiated price on the original contract for Harvey repairs is $28 a square foot and the contractor is willing to repoint the remainder of the courthouse at that price. The current price has risen to $58.50 per square foot and increases by a national average of 7 to 10 percent each year according to Peeler.

The total cost to repoint the remaining 25 percent is $90,049 but Grimes County auditor Mary Nichols stated $85,000 is in fund balance and the court will only need to approve $5,049 for the remainder of the repairs. The life expectancy of the repointing of the courthouse is anticipated between 50 to 75 years according to Swanson.

Commissioners unanimously approved the repairs that will add approximately a month to complete the courthouse repairs that was originally scheduled to be completed May 7 and is now expected to be completed June 7.

Other business

Approved a temporary position for the Grimes County Tax Assessor-collector’s Office for 12 workdays totaling $960.

Recognized Isabel Gallegos for five years of service with the county.

Approved regular meeting date of Thursday, Dec. 26, at 9 a.m.