Homer Township has received a few inquiries concerning the restoration work performed at the Town Center Park Announcer Tower last year. According to the inquiries, there have been various postings, some by political candidates, on social media sites suggesting that the Township Board approved expenditures over $244,000 to replace the windows in the tower. Further, there were FALSE allegations made that the cause of these serious exterior water infiltration issues at the tower were due to neglect and failure of the Township to replace the windows.
Please see the documents provided herewith detailing the scope of work performed, a structural engineering report and proof of inspected permitting by the Village of Homer Glen. While ultimately the window replacements were a part of the restoration process, until the exterior water infiltration problems could be remedied (many of which were due to inadequate construction of the building), simply replacing the windows would not have solved the infiltration problems that actually caused the windows to deteriorate. The project was costly and the Board weighed many options, including the cost of demolition and rebuilding.
The Board ultimately voted to use a Job Order Contracting firm which complied with the statutory law standards to perform public works projects; such as, paying prevailing wage, meeting bonding/insurance requirements and the obligation for bidding on projects over $20,000. Because the project was very costly, the Board opted to approve all measures necessary to stop the exterior water infiltration, remove/resolve the spalling masonry and peeling paint on the interior and apply a sealant to the exterior of the building (see scope of work performed). Further, due to the residual high level of moisture contained within the building walls; the lack of climate controls in the building and impending winter weather conditions, no interior painting/restoration work was included in the proposal. It is suggested that due to the residual moisture level in the walls, that phase of the work should not be approached for about 6 months to assure the interior walls are sufficiently dried. The Board also discussed that the interior priming and painting did not require professional contractors and could be performed with a combination of volunteers, staff, etc. to save on those costs.
If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact Homer Township for assistance #708-301-0522.