Stopping storm water leaks at two Apache Junction City Hall offices and painting the entire complex are a part of a nearly $183,000 contract to be considered April 18 by the City Council.
The meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall, 300 E. Superstition Blvd., is to include a vote on a $182,998.70 agreement with Riddle Painting and Coatings Corp.
When rain storms come from the east, water drips into the City Clerk’s Office and development services conference room. Windows and doors have been re-caulked, and a roof was redone, but it has not stopped the water from entering the building, Administrative Services Manager Heather Hodgman said at the City Council’s April 4 meeting when the contract was up for discussion.
The exterior of City Hall was last painted in 2014, with cracks sealed and stucco repaired, she said.
“So the issues we’ve had is rain — water dripping into our building. The major area it is actually focused on has been the City Clerk’s Office for the majority of the time,” Hodgman said.
“(W)e’re trying as much as we can to prevent it, try to figure out what’s going on, find out where the leaks are. We’ve had to do nothing but replace ceiling tiles in the city clerk’s area. This has now gotten to the point that it’s moved to the development services conference room — so it’s now leaking,” she said.
Riddle Painting and Coatings Corp. was asked to find out what was causing the water to leak in the building. The business did a rilem tube test to look at how the surface absorbs water and determined the issue is with the stucco material on the outside of the building, she said.
The contract includes pressure-washing the exterior concrete, masonry, wood, metal and stucco surfaces; repairing stucco; removing and replacing the sealants and backer rod such as for expansion joints and window frames; applying waterproofing at footings; prepping and coating the masonry and stucco; prepping and sealing stone veneer; then prepping and painting the entire facility including gates, according to her presentation.
The paint is a latex elastomeric product that expands and stretches, and is a moisture barrier. It comes with a 10-year warranty, Hodgman said.
Councilmember Darryl Cross asked what happens if after the work is done there are still water drips after storms.
“What happens after the first monsoon from the east and we have water again? What’s Riddle (Painting and Coatings Corp.) going to do?” he asked.
“We will be calling them back. I’m sure they’ll assess what’s going on, what happened,” Hodgman said.
Cross said the contractor may after a storm determine the water is coming from a different source.
“So we’re certain it’s a stucco failure that’s causing the leak and it’s not wind-driven or gravity-fed from another part of the roof?” he asked.
That’s why the contractor did a rilem tube test, Hodgman said.
Councilmember Tess Nesser asked if there will be additional costs if the water still drips and more work needs to be done by the contractor.
“In this $182,000-$183,000 we’re paying to Riddle, if after they do all of this work if there’s still that problem, will there be additional fees to start tearing apart what they’ve done to fix everything to find what’s really happening?” she asked.
That’s why the city has the warranty on the contractor’s work, Hodgman said.
“So if we still experience leaks and we can prove that it is a failure of their work, that’s where the warranty kicks in,” Assistant City Manager Matt Busby said.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on Twitter @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Richard Dyer Managing Editor | East Valley @RHDyer
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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