Franklin County commissioners announce the kick-off of Phase II of Archives Project

Franklin County commissioners gave notice of their intent to award bids for the Archives Phase II portion of the Court Facility Improvement Project, according to a press release Thursday.

“The bidding process was very competitive," Commissioner Chairman Dave Keller said. "We’re glad for the opportunity to continue partnering with local and regional contractors." 

Archives Phase II consists of a 6,500 square foot remodel of 340 N. Second Street in Chambersburg, which is currently the temporary location for the Franklin County Commissioners’ Office. The space will accommodate Archives staff offices and specialized storage space for documents that require a higher level of security, fire suppression and climate control, as well as a public research area, according to the release.

“Phase II will complete the process of consolidating archives and records management in our downtown campus," Keller said. "The documents will be much more safe and secure, and state of the art climate control and fire suppression systems will ensure the integrity of the documents, many of which must be kept in perpetuity.”

In recent years, the county has scanned and made available electronically millions of pages of documents it is required by state law to retain, in some cases forever. Future scanning and document management initiatives will further reduce storage needs and improve access for county offices and the general public, the release explained. 

As the county advances in this area, the potential exists for the county to offer document storage and records management services to other organizations, public and private.

The archives facility is also home to the county’s new data center, which consolidates all of the county’s computer servers in one location and takes advantage of the same security, climate control and fire suppression systems that serve the archives and records management operations. 

“Having all of our servers in one location with the advanced security, climate and fire systems reduces the cost of maintaining the equipment and ensures the continuity of operations," Keller said. "Many of our operations are 24/7, so it’s vitally important that our information technology services are always up and running. The county maintains a back-up data center at the 911 center, further ensuring continuity of operations."

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Phase II of the Archives project is just a small part of the overall Court Facility Improvement Project, but it will have a significant impact on the continued smooth operation of the court and county offices, according to Keller. 

"The operational improvements will allow us to serve the public better and more efficiently, which we expect will help us keep property taxes in check,” Keller added.

According to Pennsylvania state law, notices of intent to award are given for the lowest bids from responsive, qualified contractors.

For Archives Phase II, these include eciConstruction of Dillsburg, PA for general construction ($1,156,000); Frey Lutz Corporation of Lancaster, PA for mechanical construction ($355,000); Stouffer Mechanical Contractor of Chambersburg, PA for plumbing construction ($128,900); and Frank B. Lesher Co, Inc. of Chambersburg, PA for electrical construction ($151,048). The total amount of lowest combined bids falls within the Court Facility Improvement Project budget.

The following is an update on the sites that comprise the Court Facility Improvement Project:

1. Administration Building [272 N. Second Street, Chambersburg] - The project is on schedule and is over 99% complete. Offices will begin to move in next month.
2. Archives Storage Facility [340 N. Second Street, Chambersburg] - Also known as “Archives Phase I,” the storage facility is located next to the current Commissioners’ Office. Renovations were completed in October 2019 and the storage facility has been in use since that time.
3. Old Courthouse [2 N. Main Street, Chambersburg] – Renovations are anticipated to begin in February 2021 with completion in August 2021.
4. Courthouse Annex [157 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg] – Renovations are anticipated to go to bid in Spring 2021.
5. Judicial Center [14 N. Main Street, Chambersburg] –  All structural work is complete. Interior work consists of ceiling tile installation, painting, drywalling, and cabinet installation. Woodwork will be installed in the next few weeks and tiling is underway for restrooms, hallways, and floors. Building occupancy is anticipated for late Spring 2021.

For more information, visit www.franklincountypa.gov.

Carley Bonk is a Watchdog Reporter for the USA Today Network - Pennsylvania. Her coverage spans across the southcentral region of Pennsylvania. She can be reached at cbonk@publicopinionnews.com or on Twitter at @carls_marie.