The Wood County Commission awarded a contract to Murray Sheet Metal of Parkersburg for $394,615 to restore the bell tower’s spire on the Wood County Courthouse. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

PARKERSBURG — The restoration of the Wood County Courthouse’s bell tower will be handled by a local company.

On Monday, the Wood County Commission unanimously awarded the contract to restore the bell tower’s spire to Murray Sheet Metal of Parkersburg for $394,615.

Last week, the commission received five bids for the work from companies in West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania. All of the bids were reviewed by County Administrator Marty Seufer and Chris Campbell from ZMM Architects & Engineers of Charleston, who designed the project.

”They went through the bid tabulation sheet and found Murray met all of the requirements,” Commission President Blair Couch said.

The plan calls for installing a steeple-like crown on top of the tower like one the building originally had for years prior to 1953, when it was removed. The work will include roof repairs, climbing stairwell reconstruction up to the tower and other work associated with restoring the bell tower.

Officials said the work is expected to take around five months to have major completion on the project, but they did not have an estimated time for the work to begin.

The project does not include an estimated cost overrun. If something comes up, the contractors will have to come before the commission to get approval for anything additional that is determined to be needed.

”It will have to be approved by the commission,” Couch said, adding it could not be approved by Seufer or the architect (ZMM). ”It all comes before the three-member board.”

ZMM will oversee the work as construction is being conducted, Seufer said.

The steeple will be constructed at a company in Kentucky, brought in and lifted into place by crane. Plans call for the placement of a metal frame inside the tower to anchor and support the steeple. The engineering plans have been reviewed by two groups.

New lightning arresters on the tower will tie into the existing system, Seufer said. The gutters are being worked on to divert water away from parts of the building.

The climbing stairway in the tower is over 120 years old and needs replaced, Seufer said.

”The roof has been leaking and water has been getting into the tower itself, causing some deterioration,” Seufer said. ”This project will put a roof on the tower and channel the water away from the tower.”

The county has applied for and received Courthouse Facility Improvement Grants for part of this project.

Once the work begins, officials want to put up a time-lapse camera to have a record of the work and show how the work is progressing.

Officials have said this project will restore the courthouse to as close as it originally looked when it was first built.

In other business:

∫ The commission put Steve Scholl, Jane Wise, Blaine Auville, J.J. Barrett, Randy Lowe, Barbara Holtz, Pat Sole, Jason Matthews, Tim Thomas, Mike Shook and Patricia Stutler on the Wood County Local Emergency Planning Committee.

∫ The commission reappointed Henry “Bud” Williams to the Wood County Veterans Park Advisory Board.

∫ The commission appointed Dave Baumgartner, Harry Silvis, Dave Righter, Janelle Comstock, Mike Matheny, James Spanner, Susan Barber, Ryan Taylor, Angela Tadlock and Bob Fehrenbacher to the Wood County Development Authority.

∫ The commission reappointed John Reed to the Wood County Parks and Recreation Commission (Mountwood Park).

∫ The commission reappointed Steve Valentine and Roy Schleicher to the Wood County Planning Commission.

∫ The commission reappointed Andy Hartleben to the Wood County Historic Landmarks Commission.