Sound-absorbing panels to be installed at courthouse

Installation of sound-absorbing panels inside the Jasper County supervisors chambers is expected to reduce echoes and background noise heard when attending meetings virtually.

The board of supervisors on March 15 voted 3-0 to purchase the panels, which will hopefully address a frequent concern raised during the pandemic. The solid walls and high ceilings do not make for good acoustics, particularly for those listening to the supervisors meetings via Zoom.

To combat this issue, maintenance director Adam Sparks was given a budget of $40,000 and was instructed to search for a way to reduce the noise. Sparks presented sound panel bids to the supervisors.

“For panels in the courtroom, we had our lowest bid come in at $25,000, which means we had $15,000 left in that budget for the supervisors meeting room,” Sparks said.

All three bids for the panels in the supervisors chambers — 1st Interiors out of Waukee for $11,691, Artisan Ceiling Systems out of Waterloo for $7,490 and Heartland Finishes Ink out of Des Moines for $10,370 — came in under the project’s budget.

The supervisors accepted the lowest bid of $7,490 from Artisan Ceiling Systems.

“These bids are for everything. To furnish, scaffolding, set up. Thankfully, we don’t have to remove any old panels, so it’ll just be installation,” Sparks said.

To preserve the historic elements of the supervisors chambers, the panels will be installed on the room’s ceiling on each side of the three lighting fixtures.

Sparks estimates the project will begin in late May.

Contact Abby Knipfel at 641-792-3121 ext. 6531 or aknipfel@shawmedia.com