KAREN VIBERT-KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette Construction continues on the future home of the Lycoming County Coroner’s office on Wahoo Drive in Williamsport.

The Lycoming County Commissioners approved several items on their agenda, but one change order for lights purchased for the coroner’s new building seemed to elicit a strong response from Commissioner Marc Sortman, the question being who was responsible for the items not being sent.

The issue revolved around recessed lights that had been ordered for the construction, but when they arrived, there were no trim rings with them. Steve Whitenight, facilities management department deputy director, had presented a change order for $5,535 from Keystruct Construction, LLC, for board approval in order to purchase the rings.

Whitenight told the commissioners that it was his understanding that the lights didn’t come with the trim and that it was an oversight that the trim rings were not ordered separately.

“So, we’re not paying for it twice,” Sortman said.”They didn’t order lights that had trim that we paid for and didn’t get them and now we’re paying for the trim.”

Whitenight reiterated that he felt it was an oversight and that the trim just didn’t come with the lights.

Sortman suggested that the item be tabled until the commissioners could look into the issue.

“This is what irritates me with this stuff. If this was in the original contract that these lights were supposed to be the correct lights and they’re not, why is it our fault? Why is it not the contractor or the person that did the bidding? Now, if we did it wrong when we bought the stuff then that’s on us,” he said.

“This is where these contractors make a ton of money on change orders that just slide through,” he added.

Commissioner Scott Metzger interjected that the commissioners were not singling out the contractor that is handling the work at the coroner’s building.

“They’re the ones that were hired to come in and fix what needed to be done,” Metzger said.

However, Sortman returned to the topic during commissioner comments at the end of the meeting, addressing the commissioners’ efforts to save the county money.

“I know it seems like half the time we’re picking on the coroner (building), but that’s only because it just happens to be in construction right now,” he said.

“We look at these things and I just feel that these construction companies know the game and have played the game. If you’re in the construction business and you’re putting a light fixture in and it should have a ring around it, how do you not know to have the light with the frame around it,” Sortman said.

“To me it just – and again, I’m not picking on the job, I’m picking on contractors – and I think it’s just been a way they’ve made money for years…it’s just so easy to slide that through,” he continued.

“I appreciate the board that I work with here. I appreciate what our coroner has to go through with us looking at these things. But, it’s time that someone looks at these things and stops some of the craziness that goes on out there.”