Repairs to the Dukes County courthouse roof could cost the county $148,000 at a time when the county commission is cutting regional services and scaling back expenditures.

The roof has been leaking since a storm in early winter, and at times water was seeping into the courthouse lights.

In the regular meeting of the commission Wednesday evening, county treasurer and acting county manager Noreen Mavro Flanders said after contacting a number of companies, Associate Roofing Company of Braintree and West Tisbury was the only one to quote a price for the project. The company said it can replace and insulate the courthouse roof for $148,000.

The roof was last repaired in 1995. “The repairs have failed,” Mrs. Mavro Flanders said by telephone following the meeting. The last company to repair the roof has since gone out of business so the county cannot contact the company to correct their work.

Eighty-one per cent of the cost to replace the roof could be reimbursed by the state, but the payment would be retroactive and the county will need to borrow money for a number of years to complete the project. The county must apply for legislation to borrow money for a period longer than one year. If legislation is granted, the county will contract with Associate Roofing Company.

The commission had expected the project to cost $100,000, and budgeted $20,000 in the draft budget for the coming fiscal year to begin the repairs. Mrs. Mavro Flanders said that amount will be increased to $30,000. The county hopes to begin the project with a loan for the full amount from the county registry of deeds.

In other news, the commission made a number of annual appointments and discussed the ongoing search for a county manager. Applications for the position, which has been vacant since August, are due by Feb. 20. Mrs. Mavro Flanders said she has received six applications and is expecting more. On Wednesday, she urged commissioners to act quickly to fill the position.

“I don’t want to continue in the position of acting county manager past April 1,” said Mrs. Mavro Flanders. “It’s been quite a ride.”