Beidelman said he’s facing a problem of not being near the contractors he wants for a tricky repair job in Easton — a town along the Delaware River.

Looking to repair the courthouse cupola, Beidelman, a Northampton County purchasing manager, put ads in Lancaster and Harrisburg newspapers last week.

“That area is rich with Amish who have the expertise to do this kind of work,” Beidelman said. “We need craftsmen who work with heavy timbers.”

Built in 1861, the rotting white courthouse cupola is considered a treasured landmark and a fixture along the Easton skyline.

Beidelman said the Easton area is void of workers who have done similar projects, such as barn work or steeple repair.

“It is high up and hard to get to. It’s kind of landlocked, and you cannot get cranes near it,” Beidelman said. “Scaffolding will be necessary to get there, and it’s not work that all contractors do.”

Northampton County budgeted $500,000 for the restoration job in late 2004. When it solicited bids this year, council rejected the lone bid of $890,000, Beidelman said.

The restoration requires replacing the cupola’s wood trim with new custom millwork, restoring metal flashing, improving drainage and ventilation, repairing and reinforcing timbers, painting and related work.

Beidelman, who lived and worked in the Harrisburg area for 20 years before moving to the Lehigh Valley two years ago, said officials want the work to begin in late March or April.

Bids will be accepted until Jan. 18.


Patrick Burns’ e-mail address is pburns@lnpnews.com. blog comments powered by Disqus