The Inter-Mountain photo by Amanda Hayes Left to right, commissioners Kristie Tenney and Terry Cutright during Thursday’s Upshur County Commission meeting.

The Inter-Mountain photo by Amanda Hayes
Left to right, commissioners Kristie Tenney and Terry Cutright during Thursday’s Upshur County Commission meeting.

BUCKHANNON — A solution for the pesky pigeons roosting on the Upshur County Courthouse dome may prevent further damage to the 1899 structure’s iconic dome and cupola and save costly repairs later on.

At Thursday’s Upshur County Commission meeting, the commission awarded a bid to local company TKS Contracting for $45,000.

TKS Contracting was not the low bidder in the project but the second-lowest bidder.

Assistant county administrator Tabatha Perry said that all three bids opened at the Feb. 14 meeting were lacking all of the required information. After maintenance director Greg Harris contacted the low bidder, Steeple Jacks of America, he learned the company did not have a contractor’s license in the State of West Virginia.

“They work out of Ohio, which does not require a contractor’s license,” Perry said. “Per the Contractor Licensing Act in West Virginia, you must have a contractor’s license for anything over $2,500 to work in West Virginia.

Steeple Jacks of America was afforded the opportunity to obtain a contractor’s license but declined.

TKS Contracting has now provided everything required in the bid packet and Perry noted the difference between SJA and TKS Contracting was $6,000 for the base bid.

TKS Contracting’s quote is $45,000. In addition, TKS Contracting will charge $32 per foot for the additional 500 linear feet while Steeple Jack’s price was $12 per foot.

Commission president Sam Nolte said the purpose of the dome project is to encourage the pigeons to move on from the area.

In addition to the 1,200 linear feet around the dome and cupola, another 500 linear feet will be added at other points around the courthouse to discourage the pigeons from laying claim to those areas as well.

“More than likely, they will try to find other ledges or areas that they can roost,” he said.

In 2006, it cost the county $173,000 to repair the dome – a cost it is hoping to avoid by shooing away the pigeons.

TKS Contracting must start the work within three weeks per the terms of the agreement.

In other business, the commission:

• approved the signature of the Federal Aviation Administration Outlay Request number 3 for $64,265 for the Airport Improvement Program Project at the Upshur County Regional Airport. A new airport terminal is being constructed thanks to the FAA grant.

• approved separate orders to appoint Daya Wright as co-administrator for the Estate of Virginia Lee Reed, deceased, and for the Estate of Patricia Lee Reed Robinson.

The commission meeting for Feb. 28 has been canceled.