Prince Edward Courthouse Square to be Cleaned up for Debate

By Crystal Vandegrift, Staff Writer

FARMVILLE – Earlier this year in an effort to improve the landscaping around the Prince Edward County Courthouse prior to the Vice-Presidential debate, Board of Supervisors members approved to contact several landscaping firms and brick contractors.

During Tuesday night’s Board of Supervisors meeting, County Administrator Wade Bartlett informed members that the estimate that the county had received was much higher that expected for the work that was needed. “County staff contacted 14 landscaping/brick contractors. Ten stated they could not meet the deadline, two have not responded and two have actually come to the Courthouse and reviewed the job. Of those two only one has provided an estimate of the cost and that estimate was much higher than we had hoped,” Bartlett said.

Because the debate is just three weeks away and estimates are high, the board of supervisors approved that county staff will now perform some of the work and following the debate brickwork will be concluded. “After the debate, we will advertise the brickwork to allow more time for contractors which should result in more bids being received,” added Bartlett.

To improve the area county staff will power wash the front sidewalk, removing the sand between the existing brick and filling the cracks with polymeric sand; remove the camellia bushes that are dying in the front and replace them with a conical shaped holly; trim existing vegetation/bushes, remove weeds and other unwanted vegetation around the entire Courthouse; power wash the front of the Courthouse; finish painting the outside trim and clean the atrium glass walls.