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A project list was approved by the Coffee County Capital Outlay Committee at their recent meeting that may be included in the 2024 capital project budget.  

The list of items, broken down by county properties, included roof repairs for the Coffee County Manchester Library, the maintenance department shop, the Sheriff’s Department motor pool shop and the Administrative Plaza.

Director of Maintenance Rick Soucy told the committees that the projects would help maintain the value of the county properties.

“We trying to restore these buildings because they’re worth a lot of money,” Soucy said. “We are trying to keep them (up) to retain value in them.”

The Administrative Plaza roof project’s first phase was an approved 2023 capital project. The county had a hydrologic survey done on the roof last year, which showed that overall the roof would be suitable for restoring rather than replacing.

The restoration will be warranted for 12 years.

“With this we will be able to reseal the roof and get up to a 12-year warrantee and will be a minimal cost compared to what it would be if we keep letting it go,” Soucy said.

He said that the project was initially broken down into multiple phases, but that due to set up fees the county could save $30,000 doing the job all at once. About half the overall expense has already been appropriated.

The county hopes have the work done through an Omnia state contract, but that was process was questioned by auditors and may require a full bid process.

Manchester Library repairs include a new paint job on the exterior of the building rather than a mural project that had been proposed earlier.

The proposed project also includes removing several trees to allow the construction of a kid’s area and one that is causing problems with the building’s gutters. The building could see updated glass doors that would be lighter and allow for a handicap accessible opening system. The skylight that has chronic leaks is slated for removal.

The Lannom Library in Tullahoma roof rehabilitation is included in the proposal.

Chairman of Capital Outlay Terry Hershman called the roof an architectural nightmare.

“An architect drew a nightmare, he said. “I complained about it when the company I was working for back then did it. We told him, ‘you don’t want to do this.’ ”

The roof is made up of separate roof pitches that meet in the center of the building at a 12-inch wide gutter that cuts across the roof.

“Now it to the point that (the coating) is really bad,” Soucy said. “All the old coatings need go and start over with a much better coating, something that’s going to last.”

The maintenance shop and the motor pool shop have metal roofs that need refinishing. Fiberglass skylights have also begun to crack and need replacing.     

The list also included at CCAP a new LED sign that will alert passing cars to announcements, meeting times and county news updates.

The late mayor Judd Matheny had discussed this plans for this when the new county logo was added to the sign earlier this spring.

A smaller sign can be purchased if needed and black blanks added to fill the space under the sign and save the county money, Soucy explained to the committee.