Missoula County is considering filing a lawsuit against a Salt Lake City company because an expensive climbing structure installed in the Missoula Public Library years ago still hasn't passed two safety inspections. On Thursday, the Missoula County commissioners discussed authorizing the use of the county risk fund for litigation involving the contractor responsible for design and construction of the "DNA Climber" inside the library. Erica Grinde, the director of the county's risk and benefits department, said the city was awarded a $1.
3 million Science Education Partnership grant from the National Institutes for Health in 2019. At least $365,000 of the money, which came from the federal government, was used to build a two-story structure modeled after DNA in the library, and it was supposed to be climbable by kids and accompanied by exhibits. A photo of the DNA Climber that hasn't passed safety inspections.
The company that was selected to build the exhibit is called Process Curiosity, based in Salt Lake. Two subcontractors, called L&S Distribution and Beecher Walker and Associates, also worked on the project. The project was completed in 2022 on the east side of the library, and the county took over management of the structure because the county manages the library.
Public officials touted the structure before it was built, saying it would be a unique and attractive amenity for the library. With large windows allowing the public to view the structure from the outside, it wa.