Butler County will spend $170,436 to get rid of moldy pipe insulation in the courthouse and have mold-resistant insulation installed.

The county commissioners approved the expenditure to the project's successful bidder, Clark Contractors of Bedford, at their Wednesday meeting.

John Campbell, county director of facilities and operations, said crews will safely remove the old insulation in the unoccupied courthouse basement and a few other spots and replace it.

The mold was found in the spring when the former law library was emptied. That mold spurred further inspection of the basement, which revealed the mold on the pipe insulation.

Campbell said the work will begin in November and should be wrapped up by February.

Also at the meeting, commissioners heard Campbell and Joe Saeler, director of the Community Development Corporation of Butler County, reveal the bids they received for the completion of the annex at the Butler County Government Center.The planning department — including mapping, assessment and other offices — will move to the annex once work is completed.Bids for general contractor, plumbing, fire protection, heating and air conditioning, and electrical were revealed.Eleven bids were received for the general contractor on the job. Bids ranged from $298,000 to almost $539,00.Plumbing for the annex received four bids ranging from $48,000 to more than $71,000.Two bids were received for fire protection in the annex, at nearly $18,000 and $29,500.Three bids for heating, ventilation and air conditioning in the annex ranged from nearly $74,000 to almost $90,000.The five bids for electrical service ranged from $194,500 to $272,000.Saeler said the bid amounts came in at a better rate than the estimated cost of $900,000 to $1 million because contractors charge less in the winter.Leslie Osche, commissioners chairwoman, said the cost was estimated a year ago. She was pleased with the bids announced Wednesday.“They are well within or under that range,” she said.Campbell said the successful bidders will be named Oct. 30.