Spring may have officially sprung, but winter is still top of mind in St. Charles County.
Snow, ice and chilly temperatures this winter took their toll on St. Charles County government buildings in damages and dollars.
The St. Charles County Council will hold its first meeting in its chambers on April 28 since a bursting water pipe in January forced their meetings to be moved from the county’s Old Courthouse in St. Charles. The price tag for repairing the damage to the courthouse, along with ice damage in January at the Family Arena, also in St. Charles, is expected to be more than $800,000. Much of that repair and replacement expenses bill will be picked up by insurance.
Some of those bills came to light when the County Council approved bids for repairs and replacement equipment at their April 13 meeting at the Cottleville City Hall. The council had also been holding meetings at Spencer Creek Library in St. Peters because of repairs underway at courthouse.
The council approved a $55,577.50 bid from Conference Technologies, Inc. to replace video production equipment soaked when a water pipe burst at the courthouse on Jan. 8.
Colleen McEntee, the county’s public affairs coordinator, said the video equipment replacement is just one expense involved with repairing the court house damage. She said the video equipment is included in an estimated $400,000 to $450,000 in damages at the courthouse. The county’s insurance policy has a $100,000 deductible.
Insurance is expected to pay a portion of the expense with negotiations still underway on final payment, a memorandum to the council states.
The council also approved a $429,000 bid from Demien Construction Co. for repairs to restrooms, roofs and a concession area at the Family Arena. Insurance is expected to pick up the cost of the repairs, according to a memorandum to the council.
The old courthouse, also known as the Executive Office Building or Historic Courthouse, suffered serious damage on Jan. 8 when a water pipe burst, affecting three floors on the Jefferson Street side of the building.
The courthouse at 100 North Third Street, houses the county’s executive offices including the County Executive Steve Ehlmann’s office, the county counselor, video production, public information and county council offices and the council chambers.
Joann Leykam, the county’s director of administration, told the council at their Jan. 13 meeting that condensation formed in pipe that burst prompting a damper to open allowing water to flow through. Fire alarms went off at 5:15 p.m. on Jan. 8 as water entered a broadcast center behind the council chambers on the third floor and an area where video screens were stored, turning them into “one massive shower stall, ” Leykam said.
“We had hundreds of gallons of water pouring down from there,” she said. The water poured down from above, entering 50 to 60 percent of the offices below, particular the counselor’s office.
Especially hard-hit were county council offices and chambers, along with a video production room adjacent to the chambers, and the county counselor offices.
McEntee said although offices were closed to the public for repairs, employees were able to come back to work in the building within days of the event. Public meetings in the council chambers were moved to other locations.
Subzero temperatures in January also prompted other damage. Snow and ice atop the Family Arena snow and ice from the upper arena roof fell to a lower rood causing structural damage and damages to a concession stand and two restrooms near gates 3 and 4.
Three pipes also burst at the sheriff’s department headquarters in O’Fallon causing water damage to carpets. A broken water pipe at the county’s Juvenile Justice Center caused no damage.
Meanwhile, the County Council held its April 13 meeting at the Cottleville City Hall, 5490 Fifth Street, in honor of the community’s 175th anniversary of its platting.
The community was settled by Warren G. Cottle who secured a Spanish land grant in 1798, according to the resolution. One of his sons, Lorenzo Cottle, platted lots and named the area “Cottleville” in honor of his father.
The council passed a resolution naming Cottleville the “county seat” for the day and approved a more substantial gift.
The council approved an intergovernmental agreement with the city to provide $248,500 in county transportation sales tax funding to extend Main Street in the city between Chestnut and Oak streets. The sales tax funding is expected to pick up half the $523,500 cost of the project.
