Supervisors address courthouse water seepage

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

Henry County Supervisors are in the process of rectifying a problem that has plagued the Henry County Courthouse for years.

The supervisors, during their regular meeting Thursday, received a proposal from Mike Wallis, a system design specialist from Bix Basement Systems, of Ft. Madison. The firm specializes in basements and foundations.

For several decades, according to County Auditor Shelly Barber, some offices and restrooms on the first floor of the courthouse have been plagued by water seepage. The water has caused bubbles and flaking of paint in the affected areas, which are primarily on the west and north sides of the building.

Wallis said following an inspection of the building, he is not sure why the water is getting in the walls above ground. However, he said he thinks his company can successfully address the problem but wouldn?t go so far as to guarantee that it would stop all seepage.

The system design specialist is proposing placing materials called SentrySeal and SilverGlo to the areas. Cost of the repairs was estimated at $12,780, although after his presentation, the supervisors requested installation of tiling be included in the proposal. Tiling, Wallis said, costs around $25 per linear foot.

?We will have to excavate the area we are repairing,? Wallis said. ?I think the material we would install would make the walls much more water resistant. I am fairly confident that we could stop all the water seepage you are experiencing.?

He said excavation would extend downward to five feet and later recommended that some of the landscape (shrubs, etc.) be moved farther away from the building. Wallis recommended placing gravel in the excavated area as a base on which the tile would be placed and another layer of gravel would be added on top of the tile.

Supervisor Greg Moeller asked Wallis if he felt part of the water problem is due to the slope of the landscape, and Wallis said he did.

Wallis said he was optimistic that his company could help minimize or eliminate the water problems. ?I am confident that we can minimize (the water problem) if not completely eliminate if. However, it is a tough problem to solve. There is no guarantee that we can completely eliminate the problem.?

Wallis said that any water hitting the face of the courthouse is traveling down through the walls. ?There is probably three or four times more water coming down the side of the building than the roof.?

He also said his company could get the work done before the end of the year. ?This is really the time to do it because of dryer weather, you would not want to do it in the spring,? he concluded.

Wallis said he would be submitting a new proposal soon.

Thursday?s meeting also included reports from the department heads.

The reports were highlighted by Henry County Conservation Director John Pullis? announcement that the county ?smart? trail is now open. The two-mile trails starts and ends at the Oakland Mills Nature Center.

The trail has an interactive element, which incorporates smart phones and QR codes. Pullis hopes this will attract young people to the trail.

One of the features of the trail is a health component whereby participants can learn how many feet they have walked and calories burned.

Largely due to the Labor Day weekend, Pullis said all county campgrounds are nearly full and the cabins are full.

In her report, Henry County Auditor Shelly Barber said 250 people as of yesterday have voted early in the school board elections, which are on Tuesday, Sept. 8. She said voters in all county school districts, except WACO, can vote up until noon on Sept. 8. WACO voters cannot vote absentee on Sept. 8 because polls in the district open at 7 a.m., whereas voting begins at noon in all other county school districts. Polls will be open until 8 p.m.

Looking ahead, Barber said nomination papers are available for the city elections on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The papers must be filed by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17.

Barber finished her report by relating that an intern will be working in her office. Heidi Patterson, a senior from Mt. Pleasant High School, will be helping Robin Dietrick with elections. The intern position is not a paid position.

Ana Lair, county treasurer, reported that property tax statements were mailed Aug. 21. An insert explaining the various property tax credits was mailed with the statements, she said.

Henry County Planning and Zoning Administrator Joe Buffington told the other county officers and supervisors that his office has experienced a 40-percent increase in building permits from last year.

Finally, Linda Fear, county clerk of court, said that Henry County District Court has been utilizing the electronic filing system for four months and the system has been highly successful. ?We have heard a lot of compliments from people on it. It seems to be doing very well.?

The supervisors will meet again in regular session on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 9 a.m., at the courthouse.