A new retaining wall is being installed at the historic Polk County Courthouse in Columbus with construction beginning on Tuesday, July 5. 

The majority of Polk County Commissioners approved hiring Jay’s Lawn Service and Landscape Company to replace the retaining wall, which will also include replacing the brick paver sidewalk and front staircase.

The contract to replace the retaining wall was approved for $94,160 in May.

Commissioners began discussing replacing the retaining wall earlier this year when now commissioner chair Michael Gage suggested the county look into it.

The last work done on the wall was in the 1980s and commissioners agreed the wall has some damage and either needed repairs or replacement. After hearing from county engineer Dave Odom earlier this year, commissioners decided the best option was to do a complete replacement of the wall.

Odom told commissioners if they decided to repair the wall the old and new parts wouldn’t match.

Commissioners Shane Bradley and Ray Gasperson voted against replacing the wall at this time.

Bradley said during the vote that he felt like there were a lot of places the county could put that money that would better suit the county.

Gasperson said he’d prefer the wall be part of the new budget, which began last Friday, July 1. Gasperson also said he’d rather the county replace the wall in phases over the next 1-3 years.

The brick paver sidewalk has to be taken up because a lot of it has settled and contractors cannot take down the old wall with the brick sidewalk there. The bid includes putting all the brick back.

The county reached out to the Town of Columbus for its feedback on the project. Columbus gave their blessing but asked that the project not begin until after the Fourth of July celebration, held downtown on Monday, July 4.

The bidding process included  a stipulation that construction not begin until after July 4 in order to not interrupt the annual festival.

The county is not taking the money for the project out of fund balance and decided to fund the project through its leftover contingency from last fiscal year and other line items in the budget.