County Archives bids over budget

Heather Mullinix, Crossville Chronicle, Tenn.
·2 min read

Aug. 3—The bids for renovation and construction at the Cumberland County Archives were about $500,000 over the $1.6 million budget set by the Cumberland County Commission.

The project to update the former church on E. First St. as a records facility will return to the commission's budget committee for discussion and possible action.

It's the second time this project has exceeded budget estimates. The initial renovation project was put on hold in June 2021 after the project came in about $280,000 over the $1.6 million budget set by the county. A motion to fund the overage failed with a 9-8 vote by the county commission — one vote short of the 10 votes necessary to pass the 18-member legislative body.

Funding for the project is coming from the county's debt service fund balance and repaid through a records fee the county instituted several years before specifically to pay for storage and maintenance of records the county is required to maintain for the public.

Later that summer, the county purchased the former bank building on Hwy. 127 S. with the intention of moving the archives there. The building was bought for $1.125 million.

Renovations were underway when the county was forced to close the original portion of the 1905 courthouse — displacing the Cumberland County Clerk's office.

The Clerk's office moved to the former bank building and the county commission agreed to allow the move to be permanent.

That decision revived an effort to renovate the archives facility. The commission approved sticking to the $1.6 million budget.

FTM Contracting of Cookeville submitted a bid of $2,115,138. Deductions to remove a dumbwaiter, to use Crab Orchard Stone on the exterior and to reduce the roof warranty from 30 years to 20 years would bring their bid to about $2,055,900.

Lee Adcock Construction of Shelbyville, TN, submitted a bid of $2,121,300 for the base bid. With deductions, the bid came to about $2,035,700.

Mid-State Construction submitted a base bid of $2,346,000, and a bid of $2,253,200 with deductions.

Heather Mullinix is editor of the Crossville Chronicle. She covers schools and education in Cumberland County. She may be reached at hmullinix@crossville-chronicle.com.