Union Church Governing Board President Burke Cueny told the Orion Township Board of Trustees that Union Church should be ready for the public by Halloween.
“We’re expecting to open up the building before year’s end,” he said at the July 7 meeting, where the board accepted a bid from Lands Friend Builders to do floor reinforcement in the church. The bid was for an amount not to exceed $20,868.
The township has been working with the governing board and Orion Historical Society to renovate the church so that it may be opened to the public for use in weddings and other events. The church is located in the village next to the Orion Township Senior Center, but is owned by the township.
Trustee Richard Tomczak said he was surprised to see that Lands Friend was the only bidder on the project.
“So were we,” said buildings and grounds director Reenae Tulip. “It was well-advertised.”
“I’d like to have several, but I don’t think we have a choice but to move forward with this amount,” Tomczak said.
Tulip said township engineers estimated the job at $20,000.
“I think it’s a fair bid,” said supervisor Jerry Dywasuk. “We’re talking about the structure…we don’t want that building to fall down.”
Treasurer James Marleau noted that there are not many carpenters around willing to do work on vintage buildings like Union Church.
“This is a place that has a very unique structure,” said Oakland County Commissioner Eric Wilson, who attended the board meeting. “I’m glad we received this bid.”
The next step for the building is the HVAC (heating and air conditioning). Tulip said she has sent out letters to 15 different companies for proposals.
“They should be back by July 28, so I’ll have them for you at the first meeting in August,” she told the board.
“We expected to be finished in June of this year, but due to all the delays with the drawings, we’re way behind schedule,” said Cueny. “We had hoped to have the AC in this month.”
Dywasuk asked if there was still some group willing to take over responsibility for the building once renovation was complete.
“That rumor has long been dispelled,” Cueny responded.
Cueny said there is currently $78,000 allotted for the building that is unspent.
“There’s more than ample money to put in AC and to buy paint…we’re planning to have volunteers paint that lobby.”