By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Ellis County Commission approved almost $1 million in bids on Tuesday to complete the reconstruction of Cathedral Avenue in Victoria.
The road will be reconstructed from Sixth Street in Victoria to Old Highway 40.
Ellis County received a KDOT Cost Share Grant for the project.
KDOT awarded Ellis County 60% of eligible construction costs up to $700,000 for this project.
A Kirkham Michael & Associates bid for the construction engineering inspection was approved for $145,000. Vogts-Parga Construction was awarded the construction bid for $924,440.
HVAC at Emergency Services Building
The commission also approved Central Consolidated's $331,500 bid to replace the HVAC system at the Emergency Services Building.
The building has struggled with high humidity and is constantly running dehumidifiers, Darin Myers, county administrator, said. This high humidity causes doors not to shut, fixtures to show rust, and condensation on walls and windows, he said.
After review and testing through Glassman Corporation and an independent mechanical engineer, it was determined the rooftop units are not of adequate size or type to manage the temperature or humidity, Myers said in his report to the commission.
Central Consolidated out of Wichita was the low bidder.
Hays USD 489 has offered to buy the old system for $3,500 per unit.
Law enforcement center roof
The county also approved a bid to replace the roof of the Ellis County Law Enforcement Center.
Roofmasters will use a lightweight concrete and foam mixture on the roof. The new roof will be laid on top of that layer. This will prevent the company from removing inches of material from the old roof, improve its fire rating, protect against hail and improve its insulation rating.
The process will reduce the cost by $38,000.
Part of the roof replacement is being funded by an insurance claim. With the reduction in cost, the county's portion will be $40,081.
In other business:
• Ellis County will provide labor and equipment to help the cities of Ellis and Hays complete their chip-sealing programs.
• The commission approved a $154,000 bid from Heft & Sons to produce cold mix asphalt for the 2024 asphalt maintenance plan.
• The commission heard the annual township report.
• They also heard reports from Ellis County Conservation District and CASA of the High Plains.