Iowa County accepts bid for asbestos removal

MARENGO — After Active Thermal Concepts removes asbestos from the old Iowa County Jail, the building can be demolished.

It’s ready to come down “any day now,” Iowa County Building Maintenance Director Dylan Healey told the Iowa County Board of Supervisors during its May 10 meeting.

“We’re already a year and some change behind,” Healey said.

Supervisor Alan Schumacher thought the $5,400 estimate for removal and disposal of chalking containing asbestos around six or seven windows was high. He’s removed asbestos before, on properties he’s demolished, he said.

“I don’t want to hold it up, but I’d at least like to talk to Josh [Humphrey],” Schumacher said, to find out how much asbestos is there.

Humphrey, with Iowa County Emergency Management, is heading up the inspection and asbestos removal.

“I want to know the extent of it,” Schumacher said.

“I thought it was going to be more,” said Healey. “Just because it’s asbestos. They can charge whatever they want.”

Removal of asbestos is a specialized service and requires certification.

During the meeting, Humphrey texted Schumacher and said the bid was so high because “they have to fight the bars on the windows” and because asbestos removal is always expensive.

Active Thermal is the cheapest Humphrey had found to do the inspections, he said. Active Thermal can remove the asbestos within 10 days of receiving the contract.

Getting another company might move the timeline, said Supervisor Chairman Kevin Heitshusen.

John Bushong of Bushong Construction in Montezuma, the general contractor on the project, couldn’t find another company to bid the removal without inspecting the jail itself, so the county would have to pay for another inspection if another company bid, Humphrey said.

And the county might save only $1,000, said Supervisor Chris Montross.

The Board approved the Active Thermal Concepts bid of $5,670.