Ogle chooses second-lowest bid for courthouse

OREGON – Experience won out over the lower bid for the Ogle County Courthouse renovation project.

Ogle County Board members voted 16-8 Tuesday to hire Ringland Johnson Construction, of Cherry Valley, the second-lowest bidder, as the project’s general contractor.

The two bids were less than $100,000 apart: EVS’s bid was $5,427,600 and Ringland Johnson’s was $5,505,967.

Architect Dennis Vovos, from Holabird & Root, Chicago, said the main difference between the two contractors is that Ringland Johnson has restored numerous historic buildings, while EVS has done none.

The courthouse was built in 1891 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Construction will begin as soon as possible. The project is expected to take approximately 10 months.

Once renovated, the courthouse will house the offices of the county clerk and recorder, treasurer and collector, supervisor of assessments, coroner, animal control, and geographic information system (GIS) partnership.

The entire project likely will cost about $7.5 million, substantially less than the $9.5 million first anticipated.

The $7.5 million includes not only construction, but also furnishings, design costs, testing costs, rent for the Watt Building, Mount Morris, where county offices will be located during the project, moving costs, and other related expenses.