Commission withholds payment on bill for Justice Center repairs

An invoice for work done on the Linn County Justice Center by contractor Dave Sutter has been called into question by the Linn County Commission. (Journal file photo)

By Charlene Sims, Journal staff

LCJeditor@icloud.com

Commissioners asked for more information before releasing a check to Dave Sutter, the contractor repairing the hail damage on county buildings.

The latest invoice from Sutter, for repairs to the Linn County Justice Center, spurred a discussion at the commission's meeting on Monday, March 9, about how much he was being paid.

Sutter's bid on repairing the buildings submitted in June 2025 was that the county would pay the $10,000 deductible required by the county's insurance company and that the insurance company would pay the remainder.

On June 23, 2025, the commission approved a motion by Commissioner Alison Hamilton to accept a bid from Sutter for $29,925 to make repairs to the roofs on the courthouse, the courthouse annex, the 4-H Building.

Repairs to thehe Justice Center was not on the bid was apparently never approved by the commission in open session. Sutter also billed for repairs to the county's shop in Mound City, which also was not included in the bid and also apparently not approved by the commission in open session.

The work on the roof of the Linn County Courthouse cost close to $1 million. The competing bid for work on all three buildings was $582,000.

County Counselor Jacklyn Paletta said her understanding that the county would pay the deductible and Sutter would negotiate directly with the insurance company for the remainder of the cost.

However, the insurance company has issued payments directly to the county, and the county has been paying Sutter.

Hamilton said she thought everything had been settled with Sutter.

Walton said that this was the last invoice.

Johnson said, “But I thought we’d paid our deductible and then they hadn’t. The insurance and Sutter hadn’t agreed upon a price. That’s what I thought. Is that right, am I wrong?”

Hamilton said she would like to go over this with the treasurer and the attorney before paying the invoice.

Johnson asked why the bid was more than when it started.

Walton answered. “So there’s several things like on the 4-H Building. We had an electrical issue out there that needed to be taken care of. We had to reroute some wires. There were wires that were going up through the skin of that against the purlins on the building. And so they discussed that switch with the insurance company to go and fix that.”

“So those are where additional costs are coming in. Some things on this building the ceiling tiles in this building have changed the cost on it. The windows that are going to be replaced on the 4-H Building; those are costs that are change orders on that. So those costs that they’re going back and forth with Dave to make sure that everything is adjusted  correctly for that last little bit of money to pay out.”

Johnson said he would feel better to wait to make sure where county’s at before we pay the last invoice.

Hamilton asked, “And he did work on the Justice Center?

Walton answered, “That’s what I understand. He’s done some work on the Justice Center.”

“The wasn’t part of the bid at all though, was it?” Hamilton asked,               

“That’s correct,” Walton said. “So that’s not what I’m asking for is that money. It’s for the money that we paid for the 4-H Building, and the annex, and the south road shop.”

“It says total due is $160,430 for the Justice Center now due,” Hamilton said. “Who’s paying that?”

Walton said he didn't know. He said he has asked the county's insurance company to review the issue.