It wont be much longer before Leadwood city officials can begin conducting business in a brand new city hall building rather than inside the basement of a church or the local fire house.

Charlie Lewis, the projects contractor and member of the Leadwood Board of Alderpersons, said he expects construction to be completed within about the next six weeks. Once the building is finished, it will be up to city officials to arrange for some dirt work and to install an asphalt parking lot. Providing furnishings and office supplies will, of course, also be up to the city board.

Aside from a few minor details, the exterior of the building certainly looks done from the siding, windows and doors, to the roof and awning at the front entrance. A peek inside reveals that the new city hall will look much different than the old structure, with a combination courtroom/city meeting room, an office area for the city clerk and water/sewer department clerk, a public restroom near the entrance and other small rooms along the back of the building.

The room for public meetings and court proceedings will have an elevated bench with seating for the municipal judge during court and for the mayor and alderpersons during city meetings.

According to Lewis, finishing the interior walls is the next stage of work putting up drywall and mud, followed by painting along with installation of a dropped ceiling.

The old building, which was damaged in a fire on Sept. 17, 2015, was torn down about a month later after city officials set up a temporary city hall office in the basement of the Leadwood United Methodist Church, directly across the street from the former city hall.

Although the investigation into the cause of the fire by the State Fire Marshals Office was, and is, still ongoing, city officials were given the go-ahead just a couple of weeks after the fire to begin cleaning out the building and salvaging any content that had not been completely destroyed by fire or smoke.

Less than a month after the fire, in early October, a preliminary insurance settlement was reached and board members began to make preliminary plans for a new city hall. The initial settlement included $39,405 for the building, $25,000 for contents and city property and up to $10,000 to tear the building down.

Despite some disagreement among city officials about the economic feasibility of building a new structure, they began to cautiously move forward with the construction project by soliciting bids from contractors in mid-January.

Some controversy over the bid process ensued after receiving only two sealed bids for the construction project one from then-Mayor Pro Tem Lewis with numerous residents voicing their claims that it was unethical, and perhaps illegal, for Lewis to submit a bid in the first place. It was also argued that his position with the city gave him an unfair advantage in the bidding process.

The vote on the bids was tabled until advice and counsel could be obtained to address the residents concerns, which turned out to be unfounded. The Missouri Ethics Commission and Eric Harris, the citys attorney, both came to the conclusion that Lewis involvement in the project, within certain limits, did not violate any ethical or legal concerns and the project briefly recommenced.

The project stalled again with the upcoming April 2016 election and a chance that the composition of Leadwoods governing body would change rather significantly.

As it turned out, Lewis, who had been serving as mayor pro tem since the previous mayor resigned shortly after the April 2015 election, lost his bid for mayor to Dennis Parks. In addition, the board gained two new aldermen.

Things started to get back on track in June, however, when board members voted (with Lewis abstaining due to his direct involvement in the project) to follow through with getting financing costs from a lending institution in order to determine if the city could actually afford to have a new building constructed.

Despite two aldermen voting against the city borrowing such a significant sum Parks voted in favor to break the tie a measure that established the authority for the city to enter into a lease agreement with a finance agency was approved during a public meeting in late October 2016.

The agreement with FS Leasing, LLC provided the city with $225,000 in financing for construction of the building, which was added to the nearly $40,000 insurance payment for the former city hall building.

The pace of progress picked up immediately with a groundbreaking ceremony taking place on Oct. 28 and construction beginning less than a week later at the beginning of November.

Excerpt from:
New city hall nears completion - Daily Journal Online

When the Fayette City Council opened their meeting, they welcomed Scott Vogler with MECO Engineering for discussion on the new water treatment plant. It seems there are still issues plaguing the plant and delaying the transfer of usage to the new system. Brand new valves have been replaced and are still not working despite a field technician monitoring them overnight. The problems are now being blamed on electronic issues. To be continued Personnel policy updates were passed and the council had the first reading for the new ordinance modifying parking on West Davis. Commitment to the Moberly Area Economic Development Corporation was approved for another year. Building updates and repairs were discussed for city hall and the electric distribution building. Three windows on the west side of City Hall will be replaced and any damage to the frames repaired. The Council approved a bid for installation of metal siding on the exterior of the electric distribution building but was put on hold. The roof for that building is in need of replacement and insulation is needed to help regulate the temperature inside the building. The council was not ready to move forward with insulating and replacing the roof without investigating the need for additional repairs. Since it would be make sense to install a new roof and siding at the same time, the whole project was put on hold. Discussion regarding the D.C. Rogers lake property continues. The council now plans to keep the property to control the appearance to the lake entrance. The City Pool is another topic on which discussion continues. Bids are still being sought for repairs, grants for repairs are few, and grants for new pools/water parks are offered more often. The council asked for more information about these grants. It was decided the pool will open this season. Automation for the bulk water fill station is being considered. After the new plant is up and running, there will not be staff available to assist with bulk water. Other issues; the number of utility cut-offs for this month have more or less doubled with a total of 15; staff was requested to check into USDA assistance for City Hall renovations; parking is still being looked at; and March 16 at 6:30 p.m. was scheduled for a budget work session. The Council will meet next on Mar. 7 at 7 p.m.

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Fayette City Council Report - The Democrat Leader (subscription)

The Greater Hazleton Area Civic Partnership has nearly enough money to build a tunnel-like box culvert so that people using the Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails hiking and biking trail can safely walk where there is a truck crossing.

Bob Skulsky, the Partnerships executive director, said the group has obtained a $270,000 federal Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) grant, and a commitment for another $100,000 worth of pro bono excavation work from Coal Contractors, whose trucks cross the trail, toward the estimated $400,000 cost.

We need $27,000 to complete the engineering drawings to build it, Skulsky said. That is a high safety priority for us, because it is a dangerous situation. We have signs up, telling people Dont cross, high speed truck traffic, and people still cross. We dont want to see an accident out there.

Skulsky explained the culvert, approximately 16 feet long with solar lighting, will enable hikers to walk underneath the crossing.

It is basically a tunnel under the trail for pedestrians to go through, and the truck traffic goes over the top of it, Skulsky said.

The Partnership shopped for the strongest culvert made.

Originally, they only had water trucks going across, Skulsky said of the coal company. Now, they put a rail siding in, and are filling rail cars. We went in for the strongest culvert they could buy because of the weight of those trucks.

The group wants to build the culvert in June, but CAN DO President Kevin ODonnell said conbsidering the time it takes for permits, it would be a tight schedule.

Skulsky agreed, and said some of the preliminary work is done, and the rest could be done in time for June.

We dont need a lot of the clearances for it, just some permitting, Skulsky said. The preliminary engineering is probably going to take a couple weeks to a month, but could possibly be done within a week.

ODonnell cautioned that a concrete culvert may not be available.

PennDOT (the state Department of Transportation) is monopolizing the capacity of all the pre-cast concrete places now, ODonnell said. The liquid fuels tax gave them so much money they are now replacing every bridge in the world. We had to convert to an aluminum bridge in Humboldt Industrial Park. Aluminum is cheaper, but you want a pre-cast concrete box culvert here. It is a more appropriate use. Get your order in quick.

Another project the Partnership wants to do on the trail this year is the installation of new drainage pipes at the beginning of the trail off East Broad Street.

Sue Nasrani, the rails-to-trails chair, explained why that project is needed.

There is a creek that actually goes right through the trail, she said. When it rains, it washes out the beginning of the trail just before the turn.

Skuksky said that project will be done in April or May.

We believe we are completely ready to go with that, Skulsky said. The estimated cost is $8,333. We got half from Luzerne County Recreation and Conservation fund through a grant. One of the biggest cost factors is the pipes. One of the volunteers went out on his own and got a contractor to donate the pipes to us. The Hazleton City Authority has agreed to do the pro bono work to dig and put the pipes in.

Weather permitting, Skulsky said that project can be done in early spring.

We have a lot of things happening in early spring, and we are not sure we are going to be able to fit them all in, but we pushing to get the pipes in, Skulsky said. We have to do it before the fall (season).

The rails-to-trails committee is looking at installing pavers, or bricks, at the beginning of the trail to thank people who have donated to the trail.

But we cant do that before pipes are in, because that area washes out, Skulsky said

Another spring project will be tree planting.

Skulsky said Jessica Wykoff, the Partnerships Volunteer In Service To America worker, obtained a $2,000 TreeVitalize grant to plant more trees at the trail.

The new trees are going to be planted out on the old abandoned reclaimed mine lands, Skulsky said. They lack any sufficient vegetation yet, so we are developing a riparian buffer (a vegetated area that helps protect a stream from the impact of adjacent land uses) so the trail doesnt wash out. They will be available for adoption. There is a two-week window in the spring which is an optimum time to get them in. Its a lot to get that done. It is weather dependent. If we have five inches of rain before that, you cant dig into the ground.

More trees will be planted with funds from another grant obtained last year to treat diseased hemlock trees in the new picnic area at the beginning of the trail.

The other half of that grant is going to replace trees in the first half-mile of the trail that died, Wykoff said.

Some of the trees will be planted as part of a new Waterboxx project, which is a system designed to give trees in normally dry areas moisture.

It really helps our trees, especially the new ones, because it provides water right around the roots on a regular basis, said Sue Nasrani. It helped the new trees grow.

Finally, the 14th annual Hike and Bike event will be held at the trail on Saturday, June 10.

jdino@standardspeaker.com

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Rails-to-trails projects include lighted 'tunnel' for hikers - Standard Speaker

For over 20 years, 1st Choice Windows & Siding has been installing high-quality vinyl siding and custom window replacements since 1995. We proudly service the Front Range, from Ft. Collins to Colorado Springs and everywhere in between. Dedicated to providing quality service, 1st Choice Windows and Siding is Denvers go-to shop for all your exterior housing needs. When it comes to renovating your home, choose wisely. Our experts have been specializing in providing quality siding and window installation for Denver residents for years. Get the job done right the first time with 1st Choice Windows & Siding.

QUALITY PRODUCT AT THE RIGHT PRICE

While our competitors are busy pushing products that make them higher profits regardless of your needs, we are focused solely on what products work best for you! At 1st Choice Windows & Siding, we take pride in offering quality installation of siding and windows to Denver residents for an affordable price. Need replacement windows? Our experts specialize in installing energy efficient, low maintenance vinyl windows and fiberglass window replacements.

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1st Choice Windows & Siding

Vinyl siding is a very popular options for homeowners today for many reasons. First, it is an economical option as it is costs less for the material and the labor cost involved is also cheaper when compared to other siding options. Second, vinyl siding is a maintenance free siding as it sheds moisture rather than absorbing it. This prevents moisture damage to the siding itself and does not allow the siding to succumb to mold and mildew easily. Another great aspect of vinyl siding is the fact that since it is made from PVC, it allows a lot of room for expansion and contraction depending on the weather conditions. When installed properly, each vinyl siding course floats on the nail fins rather than being stuck in place on the wall. Other siding products such as wood siding tend to be less forgiving and crack and chip when expanding and contracting. The siding products we install are esteemed and trusted by top industry professionals. Not only are the siding materials we carry the most maintenance-free house siding products on the market these days, theyre also backed by the most comprehensive warranty in the siding industry. The vinyl siding we use is manufactured for long lasting durability even in the most extreme weather conditions. Not all vinyl siding is created equal. There are many different thicknesses, grain options, colors as well as the overall material quality that will separate one vinyl siding from another. That is why we go over all of the options available on the market today so that you are informed to make the best decision for your home, as well as your budget. Have any questions about vinyl siding? Check out our Vinyl Siding FAQs.

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Vinyl Siding Installers - Home Evolution

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Cherry Hill, NJ (SBWIRE) 02/23/2017 Alan Cherrys Exteriors has been a full-service residential roofing and siding contractor near Marlton, NJ, for almost four decades. The company offers free evaluations, reasonable prices and responsive customer service, which is why they are one of the highest regarded roofers in the entire Southern New Jersey region. Their most popular areas of service include Burlington, Mount Laurel, Medford, and all of Camden County. Alan Cherrys Exterior is a GAF-Certified installer that puts blood, sweat and tears in all of their projects. Their pride in unmatched, and their before-and-after photos speak to the tremendous quality of work that they provide.

Picking the right siding specialist can be a grueling process. There are so many companies claiming to the best, but we let our results do the talking for us. Just check out some of our latest Princeton, NJ, siding projects or some of our Cherry Hill shingle installations. We are confident that youll be satisfied with the entire process. From the initial complimentary quote to cleaning up and filling out paperwork, we cut no corners, and our customers appreciate that, said Josh Cherry of Alan Cherrys Exteriors.

The companys website and social media pages are regularly updated to showcase their work. Here is what one of Alan Cherrys Exteriors recent customers said about them:

After careful consideration, my husband and I chose to go with Alan [Cherrys] Exterior, and we are really glad we did. We had such a nice experience from beginning to end.I would definitely recommend Alan Exteriors for roof, windows and any exterior work.

Interested parties are encouraged to visit https://www.cherryswindowsidingroofing.com/gallery/ or call 856-347-8292 for more information.

About Alan Cherrys Exteriors Alan Cherrys Exteriors is a full-service contractor that performs installations and repairs on siding, roofs, and windows, as well as kitchens and bathrooms. Family owned and operated since 1975; the company is a go-to source for repairs in South Jersey and Philadelphia.

For more information, visit them on the web at http://www.cherryswindowsidingroofing.com.

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Alan Cherry's Exteriors Offers Siding Installation in New Jersey ... - Satellite PR News (press release)

When homeowners consider their places curb appeal how attractive it looks from the street they often think about exterior paint colors and landscaping. But more and more, theyre leveraging wooden touches to connect their home to its place in the Northwest.

This is particularly true among houses built from the 1950s through the 1980s the properties most frequently changing hands right now in the hot Seattle market, says Stacy Kovats, who directs marketing at century-old Issaquah Cedar in Issaquah, a retailer and manufacturer working with cedar, pine and many exotic hardwoods. Buyers of homes from this era want to update exteriors to put a personal spin or new look on their property, while homeowners seek to modernize their exterior for both the potential financial gain and pure aesthetics.

Here are five ways Kovats says homeowners can use wood to bolster a homes curb appeal.

From Issaquah Cedar and Lumber

Wood is a design natural, inside and out

Fences and screens

A wooden screen a wall of wood composed of horizontal slats can add visual variety, shade and privacy. Screens can conceal a front patio or create a sight barrier between closely adjoined or narrow urban lots. They also can provide a backdrop or installation point for strategic outdoor lighting. Wooden screens juxtaposed with cement, brick, pavers or pea gravel can introduce a mix of textures to an outdoor room, creating visual interest.

Strategic siding

Adding accent siding to a home on one or multiple sides of the home, a full wall or partial wall is another popular way to spruce up its appeal and add design diversity. Homeowners are using cedar shiplap, tongue-and-groove or barn wood (rustic cedar planks) to create visual impact.

Accent pieces

Often its the little details that make a house look intentional. Homeowners are choosing wood to make practical elements into aesthetically pleasing details. Examples include choosing wood for garbage receptacle enclosures, planter boxes and mailboxes. Wooden furniture on a front patio or porch such as Adirondack chairs, benches or occasional tables can also play off other wooden touches chosen by a homeowner.

Walkways and entries

Homeowners like to buy a new front door, or paint their existing one, to make their entry pop, Kovats notes. But whats around it? If the rest of the entry is dated, theres more work to do.

Homes with older cement steps can benefit from full or partial replacement with wooden decking, and decking can be used to add intrigue around an entryway. Wooden gates and arbors along the sidewalk in front of a home also add an element of mystery and coziness along the border between the property and public space.

Live-edge benches and furniture

Live edge wooden slabs, whose edges have imperfections and variations in keeping with the tree they came from, rather than planed and smooth edges, are a visually dramatic and authentic design touch which many homeowners are choosing indoors and out. On the exterior, live-edge wood is a popular choice for benches or ledges.

Issaquah Cedar and Lumber has been in business forover 115 years. We supply the Puget Sound area with the highest-qualityWestern red cedar products and materials, including decking,siding,beams,shakes, shingles and custom-milled cedar materials.

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5 ways to create curb appeal with wood - The Seattle Times

Seamless Siding, Replacement Windows, Front Doors, and More for Residents of Kansas City, MO, and Beyond

Continental Siding Supply is a home improvement company specializing in siding and windows that has turned more than 50,000 residents of Kansas City, Missouri, into satisfied customers since 1982. Our founder, Jerry ONeal, takes such immense pride in his work that he began manufacturing his own seamless polymer siding and patented a siding installation method, the Perma-Strate Wall System. We offer our customers any type of siding they desire, whether it is polymer siding, vinyl siding, metal siding, cedar shake, or stone veneer. Because we want to provide our customers with the best siding products to meet their needs, we take the time to educate them on the various siding options available. More than 98 percent of our customers choose our seamless polymer siding. This product, together with our propriety installation system, results in superior house siding that virtually eliminates wavy walls, hail damage, sun fading, sick home syndrome, and regular maintenance.

In addition to home siding, we install a wide range of energy-efficient windows. Whether our customers prefer polymer windows, vinyl windows, wood windows, or aluminum windows, we can supply them with gorgeous and durable replacement windows that come in a wide range of popular styles, such as double-hung, picture, bow and bay. We also install gutters, gutter guards, energy-efficient exterior doors, garage doors, roofing, sunrooms, pergolas, and more throughout Kansas City, MO, and all surrounding communities.

At Continental Siding Supply, we help our customers in Kansas City, Missouri, and elsewhere in the surrounding region upgrade their homes from the outside in. Most of our customers who have our house siding and roofing installed also upgrade their gutters with our Continental Water Management System. We offer 5-or 6- inch seamless gutters, in a variety of colors to complement any home siding and roof, as well as gutter covers, to prevent homeowners from ever removing leaves, sticks, and other debris from their gutter systems again.

Additionally, we offer our customers several purchasing methods to best suit their needs. Customers can come in, buy the materials, and install it themselves, or they can have Continental Siding Supply install it for them. Additionally, customers can have a complete design consultation in one of our showrooms or in their own homes.

For more information on our seamless polymer siding, windows and doors, gutters, or any of our other products or services, CALL NOW, and experience for yourself the level of service thats earned us an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. We gladly serve homeowners in Kansas City, Missouri, and all surrounding communities.

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House Siding Kansas City MO | Replacement Windows

By Reuben Saltzman In Masonry Veneer, Stone Siding On September 4, 2012

Without a doubt, the sexiest new siding being used on the front of houses is stone siding. I say stone siding because thats what everyone calls it, but what Im really referring to is Masonry Veneer. This is a man-made product thats meant to look like stone siding, and is installed in a similar manner to stucco.

While masonry veneer looks great, its susceptible to the same moisture problems that stucco is. Moisture testing experts in the Twin Cities agree that this product has experienced the exact same type of moisture intrusion problems asstucco. Building science expert Dr. Joseph Lstiburek actually calls this product lumpy stucco, because thats essentially what it is.

While newer stucco installations are done quite well, the folks installing masonry veneer seem to have a lot of catching up to do on proper installation details. When I inspect masonry veneer, I use the Masonry Veneer Manufacturers Associations installation guide, which you can find here MVMA installation guide. This guide is packed with diagrams showing how to install the material, based on generally accepted methods.

I find the same installation shortcomings over and over. To help illustrate these issues, Ive taken several installation diagrams from MVMAs guide and edited them down to more clearly illustrate where the installations went wrong. As a home inspector, I dont get to see all the different layers of materials that get installed behind the masonry veneer; my inspection is limited to what I can see on the surface, and thats what I report on. To make the installation diagrams easier to understand, Ive removed the labels of all the components thatarentvisible during the course of a home inspection.

Masonry veneer should be kept at least 2 above hard surfaces, such as concrete, and 4 above the soil.

When the material is buried in dirt, water can wick up in to the material and cause rotting at the wall.

There should also be a 2 gap to paving, but this is rarely done especially on columns.

Of course, leaving a 4 gap at the ground isnt the prettiest looking thing in the world, but there is a solution; simply have the weep screed terminated at least 4 above the ground, and have another layer of masonry veneer installed below it, as shown in the diagram below.

The photo below shows this detail done properly.

Heres a close up note the weep screed.

When masonry veneer has a vertical transition to something like wood trim, windows, or other siding materials, it should have a 3/8 gap left between the two different materials. This gap needs to have a foam backer rod pushed behind it, and then filled with sealant to help prevent water intrusion. This is rarely done.

Masonry veneer needs to be kept 2 above roof surfaces to help prevent water from wicking up in to the wall. The photo below shows a common deviation, where the masonry veneer actually touches the shingles. This is just asking for trouble.

Dryer vents, kitchen exhaust vents, bath fan vents, and other similar vent terminals should be pushed up against a bed of sealant, but theyre often buried in masonry. What happens when the vent cover gets broken and needs to be replaced?

Just like dryer vents, exterior sillcocks (aka faucets or hose bibs) need to be embedded in sealant on the surface of the masonry veneer, not buried behind the veneer. What happens when the faucet needs to be replaced?

How many bloody knuckles will this installation cause?

The nice thing about the installation shown above is that they got the vertical transition correct check out that thick bead of caulk.

Of course, this is only a partial list of the things that can go wrong on a masonry veneer installation. If youre planning to have this material installed on your home, make sure the MVMAs installation instructions are followed to help lower the potential for water intrusion. If youre buying a home with masonry veneer already installed, treat it the same way you would stucco consider having invasive moisture testing done.

Reuben Saltzman,Structure Tech Home Inspections

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Stone Siding Installation Defects Structure Tech Home ...

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Protect your home and property against the harsh weather with the help of roofing contractors in Orlando FL.

Alpharetta, GA, February 7, 2017 The roof is an integral part of the home. It does not only protect one from the elements, harsh sunlight to dangerous hailstorms but also protects ones valuable investment. It is important that this structure is well maintained. Cheapest repairs or services can work for a short span of time but fail to provide the long lasting effect on the structure. Calling in an experienced, certified contractors and high-quality materials will be the best option to deal with high-quality roofing.

Roof Depot, a leading roofing company, is the best place forward when it comes to having roofing installation service. Being an approved applicator, they have been dealing with the installation of most commercial, industrial and multi-family products. The experts have the experience, training, and industrial knowledge to handle entire installation and repair needs for roofing in Charlotte NC.

From roofing to siding installation, commercial & residential roof repairs to roof maintenance, they specialize in an extensive area of services. The company has years of experience and knowledge in the industry. Since 1998, they have served residential and commercial roofing needs throughout the Southeast. The technicians receive quality on-going training from reputable manufacturers, ensuring they achieve the necessary skills to perform virtually every area of service categorically required for the repair and installation.

Whether one has a small home or multi-family dwelling, business or commercial building, the company treats every project with dedication and passion. Due to this approach and diligence, the company has earned the loyalty and trust of their clients, employees, suppliers, and associated trade professionals. They approach every project delivering quality artistry quickly, safely, and within your budget.

The technicians being fully certified and licensed can be trusted and relied upon for their service. They also make sure entire task is completed before the stipulated time. For more information on roofing contractors in Orlando FL, visit http://www.roofdepotpros.com/roof-depot-orlando-fl/

About the Company:

Since 1998 Roof Depot has served residential and commercial roofing needs throughout the Southeast. The Company has provided quality products and services to our customers through ongoing training with leading roofing manufacturers.

Source: Roof Depot

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Install Roofing in Charlotte NC at Affordable Cost - Satellite PR News (press release)