Council approves funding for elevator engineering design

Pulaski County Council members are preparing to spend money on the courthouse and they are not starting with the little projects.
Pulaski County Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston asked the council to continue moving forward with the replacing of the courthouse elevator during a regular meeting Monday night.
Johnston said the information that was emailed to the council included three numbers that gave an estimated cost of the construction and engineering design of a new elevator. Johnston has already spoken with the commissioners who gave him the green light to begin the architectural, structural and electrical engineering for the project. Once that is completed then he can come back to the council for construction funding.
Council president Jay Sullivan asked Johnston if he was also ready to start the exterior work on the courthouse structure. He estimated the cost of the new elevator and the exterior courthouse work to be about $1.3 million.
 Sullivan said there are two different ways the county could fund the projects either by bonding it or by using the invested CDs the county owns.
Several of the council members agreed that the county needs to move forward on these repairs and upgrade.
A motion was made to spend $32,000 from the rainy day fund for the architectural, structural and electrical engineering of the elevator.
Councilwoman Linda Powers was absent from the meeting.