PRINEVILLE, OR -- The Crook County Annex Building, which currently houses the Juvenile and Community Corrections Departments, needs updating. Crook County Attorney Jeff Wilson says this process has been much more difficult than originally expected, because no contractors bid on the project before the May deadline.

 

The County Court recently approved a special process to move the project forward. "The County Court approved the special procurement," Wilson tells KBND News. "So we've been authorized to proceed with contracting with an applicant, one of the three contractors who attended the pre-bid meeting before our last due date." He adds, "Jerry Milstead, the County Representative, is meeting with the three contractors who showed up for the pre-bid meeting, and talking with them to try and get written proposals from all three and then make a recommendation at County Court."

 

Repairs need to be made to the outside of the building. The interior also needs to be remodeled, to make it more usable for current employees. Until a contractor is chosen, no one knows how the departments housed in the Annex on Third Street will be affected during construction, nor how long the work could take. But, Wilson is hopeful things will begin moving forward, very soon. "The County Court meets again on September 6th, and I would hope that we would have a recommendation on or before that - hopefully before September 6th - so the Court can authorize the contract on September 6th and proceed with the work."