Commissioners award old jail roof contract

County commissioners on Friday voted to authorize County Judge David Bird to sign a contract with Parson’s Commercial Roofing, Inc. to put a new roof on the old jail.

Under a $24,518 contract, Parson’s work will include removing all debris from the roofing area as well as prepping the existing roof for recovery.

“The roof is not going to be visible from the outside, but it’s going to seal off the tops of the bricks around the building’s edge,” Bird said. “The brick and mortar is well over 100 years old, and has become porous over time. The new roof will help prevent leakage in the event of a rain.”

 Although a starting date has not been confirmed, Bird said he expects it to begin soon. He also said that with the newly-acquired assistance of The Interlocal Purchasing System (TIPS), commissioners can save themselves the trouble of going out for bids and proposals.

“Teaming up with TIPS will help us escalate the project without going through the long, drawn-out process of going out for proposals and things like that,” Bird said.

TIPS is a purchasing cooperative that serves public and private school districts, colleges, universities, federal, state, county and city municipalities. The company’s objectives include providing savings and value for participating members, such as Gonzales County, through cooperative purchasing practices.

As for Parson’s involvement in the renovation, they will furnish and mechanically fasten a white 40-millimeter single-ply membrane roofing system fabricated of a weft inserted low-shrink, anti-wicking polyester fabric and has a thermoplastic coating material laminated to both sides.

In addition, they will also mechanically fasten a half inch of expanded polystyrene insulation over the existing roofing system, install prefabricated flashings around all curbs, deck penetrations and drains, and install a new roof hatch and walk pad.

The work comes with a 15-year labor and material warranty with liability of consequential damages.

“This is a large part of some much-needed maintenance,” said Glenda Gordon, chairman of the Gonzales County Historical Commission. “The jail roof has been leaking for several years, and we are very grateful to county commissioners for making this decision.”