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October 22, 2009

Eight contractors vying for title of lowest jail-demolition bidder

By Jean Cole



Like the five finalists in the Miss America Pageant – eight sparkling contractors are nervously waiting to hear which one will be chosen.

The only real differences – the contractors are vying to demolish part of the old Limestone County Jail and there will be no swimsuit competition.

The eight contractors – two of which are from Athens – submitted bids on the demolition Thursday. The local contractors included Premier Structures and Christopher Plumbing & Electric. Other bidders are from Carbon Hill and Fackler in Alabama and from Hendersonville, Tenn.,

Limestone County Commissioners have up to 30 days to select the best bid. They may make a recommendation at the Nov. 2 meeting.

Once a contractor is selected, the cell portion of the jail will be razed and renovations will begin on the office portion of the jail, which will be used by the Limestone County Board of Education.

The board’s Central Office is connected to the old jail by a breezeway. The county will connect the Central Office and old jail offices, install an elevator and add wheelchair -accessible restrooms.

Federal law requires public offices to be accessible to people with disabilities.

Two years ago, the wheelchair-bound father of a Limestone County student complained about the lack of accessibility at the Central Office. The issue arose when his daughter was recognized by the school board in its second-floor meeting room. Because there is no elevator in the Central Office, he could not see his daughter recognized.

Since then, board members have held their monthly meetings at various schools throughout the county, all of which are wheelchair-accessible.

Renovation of the Central Office is a better solution. Employees need more space anyway, and the building will finally comply with federal law. Once completed, board members and parents will be able to attend meetings at the same site each month and parents and students with disabilities can use the Central Office like everyone else, which is the point of the Americans With Disabilities Act.

In May, the County Commission hired architectural and engineering firm Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood Inc. to develop a plan for demolishing the old jail. Eighteen contractors toured the old jail Oct. 13 to see if they wanted to bid on the work.

Commissioners have one freedom Miss America judges do not. They can reject all the finalists if they like.

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