Buildings & Grounds Committee Recommends Thomas Hapner Construction $150,187 Bid for First Phase of County EMA Building

Montgomery County Board Buildings & Grounds Committee on Tuesday | May 5 Meeting

Article Summary: The Montgomery County Board Buildings & Grounds Committee on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, recommended awarding the low bid of $150,187.19 to Thomas Hapner Construction of Hillsboro for the first phase of work on the county Emergency Management Agency building at the Highway Department. The grant reimbursement for the project will cover $144,749 of the cost.

EMA Building Bid Key Points:

• Five bids were opened, three of which were complete bids for the full first phase of work.
• Thomas Hapner Construction of Hillsboro submitted the low complete bid at $150,187.19.
• Two split-scope bids came in from Laughlin Electric ($57,500 for electric only) and Bondurant Plumbing ($49,523.18 for plumbing only).
• Grant reimbursement will provide $144,749; EMA/EPA/911 Director Dan Hough indicated he can cover the difference from his existing budget.

HILLSBORO — The Montgomery County Board Buildings & Grounds Committee on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, voted unanimously to recommend awarding a $150,187.19 contract to Thomas Hapner Construction of Hillsboro for the first phase of construction work on the county Emergency Management Agency building at the Highway Department.

Committee Chair Mark Hughes and County Board Administrator Mike Plunkett opened five sealed bids during the meeting. Three were complete bids covering the full scope of work; the remaining two were submitted for portions of the project only.

Bids Received

The complete bids came from Pro-Bilt at $193,200; Weiss Construction at $224,747.80; and Thomas Hapner Construction at $150,187.19. The two partial bids were submitted by Laughlin Electric for the electric portion only at $57,500, and by Bondurant Plumbing for the plumbing portion only at $49,523.18.

EMA/EPA/911 Director Dan Hough and County Board member Ethan Murzynski reviewed the three complete bids during the meeting and reported back later in the same session that the low bidder appeared to meet the bid requirements.

Grant Covers Most of the Cost

Hough told the committee the grant reimbursement amount associated with the project will be $144,749 — leaving roughly $5,438 to be covered from other sources. Hough said he believes he can pay the difference from his existing department budget.

The minutes do not name the specific grant program funding the reimbursement, and the scope of the first phase was not detailed in the meeting record.

Motion and Vote

The motion to recommend awarding the bid was made by committee member Russell Beason and seconded by Keith Hancock. The committee voted unanimously to recommend approval.

Members Connie Beck, Evan Young and Doug Donaldson — also serving as County Board Chairman — were present along with Hughes, Beason and Hancock. All six members were in attendance for the bid vote.

Wider Building Context

The EMA building work is one of several active capital projects on the county’s plate this spring. At the same meeting, Maintenance Director Phil Ernst reported that Saturday, May 2, 2026, saw the Historic Courthouse boiler fill the building’s basement with smoke, prompting an immediate shutdown. That boiler is scheduled to be replaced this year using funds from a Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Energy Transition Grant.

Ernst also told the committee his department completed 65 work orders during April and is tracking 101 items on his maintenance report, including problems with both county riding mowers and ongoing work at the 127 N. Main Street building, where the county is preparing for new uses. A separate $100,000 budget for repairs and improvements to 127 N. Main was discussed later in the meeting and subsequently endorsed by the Finance & Budget Committee on May 7.

Next Steps

The Buildings & Grounds Committee’s recommendation will move to the full Montgomery County Board for final action. The minutes do not specify when work is expected to begin.