COLUMBUS – The majority of the Polk County Board of Commissioners last week added an additional $3,515 to the courthouse wall budget ordinance to include new brick around the flower beds, making the total budget $98,515. 

Commissioners met Aug. 8 and approved the addition by a 3-2 vote, with commissioners Michael Gage, Keith Holbert and Ted Owens voting in favor of the additional expense and commissioners Shane Bradley and Ray Gasperson voting against the expenditure.

The new courthouse wall began construction on July 5 by Jay’s Lawn Service and Landscape.

Jay Harden attended the county’s meeting and told commissioners looking at the old pavers there are some that are very weak and don’t look good.

Harden said architecturally and aesthetically the new bricks and patterns will look so much better.

Commissioner Holbert said the flowerbeds belong to the Town of Columbus and the county should reach out for a request to help fund the new bricks.

County manager Marche Pittman responded that he already reached out to Columbus and they declined helping to fund it.

Harden is only charging the county for the actual brick, not for labor on the addition.

Commissioner Gasperson said he’d like to see the job done right, however, since he did not initially vote for the project he would have to vote against the addition. Gasperson said he had wished the courthouse wall project be spread over a couple of budgets and it would be inconsistent of him to vote in favor of the addition.

“The project looks great,” Gasperson told Harden. “I’m not faulting you at all.”

Bradley also said he wasn’t in favor of the project from the beginning so he also voted against the additional funds.

Holbert added that the county has helped Columbus out with fireworks, saying he’s a little disappointed the town won’t help out.

Gage said he is disappointed as well.

The additional $3,515 will be taken from the county’s general fund contingency budget. The total project budget ordinance for the courthouse wall is now at $98,515. The county contracted with Jay’s Lawn Service and Landscape in May of this year for $94,160. The work will include replacing the entire retaining wall around the courthouse as well as replacing the brick paver sidewalk and the front staircase.

The last work done on the wall was in the 1980s with the majority of commissioners beginning discussions on the need for the wall’s repair or replacement earlier this year.