Installation of new windows at the Cole County Courthouse and Annex likely won't be done until March 3.
At Tuesday's County Commission meeting, commissioners approved a 90-day extension of the contract with the Wilson Group of Greenwood to complete work on windows.
"They decided not to assess liquidated damages at this time," County Attorney Jill LaHue said. "The commission accepted that there were reasons beyond the Wilson Group's control for the delays. The commissioners more or less characterized the notice letter we sent as a wake-up call to get a discussion going on the project being delayed. Their explanations included delays from the manufacturer in getting some of the correct courthouse windows and having to work around courtroom activities."
Wilson representatives added they had to replace windows damaged at the courthouse by vandals using BB guns in August. The damage estimate was $3,600.
The original contract called for more than 400 windows to be installed by Oct. 31. The Wilson Group was the low bidder on the project at $861,405.
In August, Wilson resumed the installation after receiving a needed shipment of materials.
The county questioned the work shortly after it began in April, requiring some windows to be re-installed after county Facilities Manager Greg Camp noticed several of the windows didn't meet required specifications.
"There were problems with how outside receptor fit in the hole," he said. "They were off on some cuts."
Courthouse windows were installed wrong in the mid-1970s, but the effort to get new ones didn't come until the past few years when continued water leaks around the windows were leading to other structural problems.
The job requires two different types of windows: "curtain wall" windows in the annex and regular household windows in the courthouse.
The windows come from Manko Window Systems in Manhattan, Kansas, and Quaker Windows in Freeburg.