By Aimee Hancock
TROY — Miami County Commissioners took the next step in their pledge to provide upgrades to the infrastructure at the Miami County Fairgrounds this week.
During Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners gave authorization to advertise a request to obtain statements of qualifications for professional design and engineering services for the fairground grandstand, fairground utility infrastructure, and project management services. Said statements of qualifications will be received by the board of commissioners until 9:10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021.
In March of this year, the county preliminary began looking into the ways in which the fairgrounds is in need of repair, including the office building and restrooms, both of which are deteriorating.
According to Miami County Agricultural Society President Nick Shellenberger, the fairground office building was constructed in 1908. Since then, he said, there have been minor upgrades to the facility “at least five times,” none of which has taken place recently.
In April, commissioners approved a proposal for a structural assessment of the grandstand, sheep barn, and northern horse barn. The assessment was completed by Shell + Meyer Associates Inc., of Dayton, and involved an on-site visit with visual observations and photos, along with a report for each of the three structures, which included recommendations for immediate repairs and long-term maintenance.
The following was also approved during Tuesday’s meeting:
• Awarding of bid, execution of contract and notice to proceed to Outdoor Enterprise LLC, of Troy, in the amount of $388,573 for the South County Road 25A waterline loop project.
• A waterline easement granting a 0.130-acre easement located in Concord Township to allow for installation of the South County Road 25A waterline loop project.
• Acceptance of quote from Brian Brothers Painting and Restoration LLC, of Piqua, authorizing said company to install bird spikes around the Courthouse exterior. The scope of the work includes all labor, equipment, services, and materials necessary to install bird spike material on all four sides of the Courthouse exterior, to include eight gables, six small arches, one large arch, and 64 pillar locations. The cost is not to exceed $10,800.
• Purchase of an Unger HydroPower Window Washing Kit from Brown Supply Company, of Lima, at a cost not to exceed $5,935. The unit will allow the maintenance department to clean windows at the Safety Building more efficiently and safely.
• Purchase of one Kodak i4250 scanner Care Kit with three-year extended warranty and one Kodak Capture Pro DX Software Assurance Kit with three-year extended warranty. These purchases will be used in the process of preparing images for microfilming within the Recorders’ Office. The cost is not to exceed $6,750.
• Re-appointment of Jim Oda, of Piqua; Kenneth DeWeese, of Piqua; and Lori Sebastian, of Tipp City, to the Miami County Planning Commission, with terms to expire July 21, 2024.
• Re-appointment of George Stebbens, of Englewood, to the Miami County Zoning Commission, with a term to expire June 27, 2026.
• Authorization for the Miami County Operations and Facilities Director to electronically enroll and participate in the purchasing program known as the National Cooperative Purchasing Alliance (NCPA) for the purpose of purchasing a variety of goods, products, and services based on national volumes.
