Windows delay return of Jackson police, fire departments

The final important pieces of the once tornado-tattered Jackson police and fire station arrived Tuesday and Phil Penzel, president of Penzel Construction, said the police and fire departments should be able to move back into their building by some time late next week.

The late arrival of the new windows held up the project several weeks.

The roof was ripped off the building on May 6 and totally replaced by July 7. Most of the interior has been finished. The carpet has been laid and the walls, other than the areas near the windows, have been painted.

But the departments can't move in until the windows are replaced.

Penzel says his window subcontractor, Cape Paint and Glass Inc., placed an order on May 12 with Manko Window Systems Inc.

The Manhattan, Kan., window company, he said, promised a June 24 arrival date and Penzel said he went with Manko largely because that company promised such quick delivery, a minimum of two weeks faster than what at least two other manufacturers could offer. Penzel said the windows are high-quality products not available just anywhere.

"There are only so many aluminum window manufacturers out there for windows like these," Penzel said. "They told us what we wanted to hear. ... We're furious."

Dane Huff, the Manko salesman who handled the windows, told the Southeast Missourian Tuesday that his records show that he received the purchase order on May 29 and Cape Paint and Glass was given a four- to six-week time frame.

"We originally told them July 11, but we just got backed up with orders and notified them we simply could not get it done," Huff said. "Basically, we were a week-and-a-half late."

Tell-tale stickers

John Baker, president of Cape Paint and Glass, said the stickers attached to the windows tell a different story.

"On every window, there's a sticker that tells you the day they entered the order and the day they were supposed to be delivered," Baker said. "According to the stickers, that order was put in June 2 and delivery was supposed to be June 20. Phil isn't dragging his feet and we're not dragging our feet."

While waiting on the windows to arrive, the police and fire departments have been making do with temporary setups. The police department is housed in an old sheriff's department building and is working out of boxes.

Lt. Chris Mouser of the Jackson Police Department said he did not know how long it would take to get moved into the repaired building.

"I'm not exactly sure when we'll get back, but I can speak for everybody by saying we're very excited about getting back home," Mouser said. "It's like we got kicked out of our house."

The fire department has moved its bunks over into the administrative building, forcing the department to alter its training. It has also been parking its trucks in the parking lot.

Once Cape Paint and Glass installs the windows -- which could be done as soon as today -- Penzel Construction will have to finish the interior walls.

bmiller@semissourian.com

243-6635