Boilers down in courthouse

NORWALK — Repairs must be made after boilers serving the Huron County's courthouse failed. At Tuesday's Huron County commissioners meeting, county building and grounds supervisor Pete Welch told commissioners Harry Brady and Terry Boose that all three boilers failed at the Huron County Court of Common Pleas last week. Commissioner Skip Wilde was not in attendance. The boilers went down on Wednesday. Currently, one is up and running, using parts from one of the other boilers. Building and ground employee Matt Finney said he was able to repair one boiler late Friday afternoon. The boilers were installed in 2006 and Boose said they won't be paid off until 2026. Welch said a mechanical engineer from Garmann Miller, who installed the boilers, will be completing a building assessment. "The good news is if the weather maintains the way it is, we'll be fine for the rest of the year, beginning of fall," Welch said. "We probably need to get something repaired or replaced. We don't know if we're looking at a repair situation." Welch said they're not sure what caused the boilers to go down, but a guess is a drop in gas pressure into the facility. The county will need to reach out to the County Risk Sharing Authority about the incident for insurance purposes. It's likely a representative will come and do an investigation into the matter. The county could make a claim if the boilers have a design flaw, were installed improperly or if there was a gas issue. Other business Welch said the county jail's roof project is moving along and, if the weather holds, they should complete the work in three to four weeks. County engineer Lee Tansey said his office has budgeted this year for additional fuel costs, about $30,000. The department typically spends between $120,000-160,000 on fuel a year. The county engineer's office will also be administering the 2022 chip and seal phase 2 project for county roads. Previously, the township association handled the project. The commissioners approved legislation to allow bids for the project. Tansey said the chip and seal program covers all townships, besides two, and covers 120 miles of county roads. He said work will likely begin in May or June. During public comment, resident Robert Hahler told the commissioners he's had issues with his ditch on Townline Road 12 and water isn't draining properly. Tansey said the ditch is on his list to clean, but it may not make much of a difference. Boose recommended Hahler contact a township trustee and the owner of the nearby property to address the issue. He said if nothing happens, he can come back to the commissioners. The commissioners also approved a payment of $5,235 to RJ Beck for updates and repairs to the fire alarm system in the office building. A change order for the restroom remodel project was approved due to a plumbing fixture increase in cost. The commissioners signed a letter of support of the Huron County Board of Mental Health and Addiction Services for a funding opportunity. If awarded the grant, the board will expand the availability of transportation, implement training for community members and implement a recovery-friendly workplace initiative. Finally, the commissioners approved a request for payment from the Huron County Community Housing Impact and Preservation program. Brady said the program is a "godsend" for those who can't afford repairs and improves housing in communities. With $37,554, six homes will receive repairs in Greenwich, Norwalk and Willard. Two homes, one in Willard and one in Norwalk, will receive $61,929 for more intense home repairs.