October 13, 2020 - The Shelby Commissioners met with representatives of the Shelby County Historical Commission to consider issues they suggest need to be addressed at the Shelby County Historical Courthouse Annex building.
Rayford Copelin, Shelby County Historical Commission, addressed the court regarding abatement of asbestos in the Historical Courthouse Annex.
Copelin explained, the commission sought to discover if anything in the building posed a hazard and they enlisted the help of an environmental consultant firm, which in turn performed a survey of the structure.
"They found some mold, they found some lead and then they found some asbestos," said Copelin.
According to Copelin, the mold and lead aren't necessary to be addressed at this time since the lead is within the paint and the mold will potentially have a time to return if it's removed and the building then remains vacant.
"The asbestos is a different story, we need to take care of that, the only asbestos they found was in the floor tile and then in the mastic that holds the floor tile," said Copelin.
Copelin indicated for the commissioners different rooms within the building that have tile where there is asbestos. He explained the environmental consultant firm will act as consultants and acquire the necessary permits, monitoring, and insure whatever abatement contractor that is hired handles the work appropriately.
"Their fee is about $16,000 or so, it's not going to be that high, because it's not going to take that long," said Copelin.
Of the two bids received for the project, the Historical Commission recommended the low bidder HP Envirovision to handle the work.
Judge Harbison said the total amount they were looking at for the environmental consultant and the contractor is $25,769. Commissioner Tom Bellmyer asked if the money for the project has been budgeted.
"We had discussed earlier, before the budget was final, that we would make room for $25,000 to be in the budget knowing that we were going to have to do an abatement project," said Teddy Hopkins, Historical Commission Chairperson.
He didn't know if there was a line item for the abatement in the budget, but he said the expectation was for there to be up to $25,000 for the project in the budget.
Hopkins and Copelin agreed they expect the project to be somewhere between $16,000 and $20,000.
To confirm if the funding is already in the budget, a motion carried to table approving the project until the next meeting.
The commissioners previously approved going out for bids on tires and gravel for the county and since then are uncertain on the best course of action to accomplish seeking the bids.
A motion carried to rescind the previously approved motion, follow through on research and revisit the bid process again next year with a plan.
The commissioners considered putting rock on a private drive on County Road 3801. Commissioner Charles Barr stated the cirumstances involve a school bus turning around on the driveway, which he says is the last house on the road.
According to Barr, a school bus had difficulty turning around at the location and it was requested of the commissioner to add gravel.
A motion carried to allow Commissioner Precinct 3 to put rock down on the private drive to help service the school system.
The meeting went into executive session at 10:35am and returned at 11:19am with no action taken. The meeting was then adjourned at 11:20am.
Agenda items approved during the meeting include: 1. Pay weekly expenses. 2. Grant application for the 2021 Indigent Defense Formula Grant Program. 3. Resolution to apply for the 2021 Indigent Defense Formula Grant Program. 4. Donate salvage property from the Expo Center which includes boards and steel tresses to the Shelby County Expo Center. 5. Resolution regarding the transaction allowing Judge Harbison to sign all the proper documents pertaining to the Tax Sale of Property in District Court cause #18CV34348. 6. Rescind previous motion on bid process for tires, gravel, etc. and research further before next year. 7. Commissioner Pct. 3 to put rock on a private drive off County Road 3801. 8. Adjourn. Agenda items tabled during the meeting include: 1. Recommendation by Shelby County Historical Commission to abate the asbestos in the Historical Courthouse Annex. 2. Tabled until 21st to see what the City of Tenaha does Tax Trust bid for Cause #19CV-23,303, Shelby County, Tenaha Independent School District and City of Tenaha VS. Heirs of Ann Evans, Deceased. 3. Table until 21st to see what the City of Tenaha does Tax Trust bid for Cause #08CV-30,130, Shelby County, Tenaha Independent School District and City of Tenaha.
