Meg Hibbert
Contributing writer
Craig County Library Expansion Committee volunteer architect Jennifer Lovejoy talks with courthouse architect consultant Chris Phillips, after the Feb. 1 Craig County Supervisors’ briefings on needs for the courthouse, and ideas for expanding the library into a Community Center.
Missing mortar between bricks, rainwater running inside walls, a failing cooling system for which refrigerant is no longer made and entrances and restrooms which handicapped people cannot easily access.
Those are among the 25 improvement areas for Craig County Courthouse and Social Services building need more than $500,000 in improvements, the Board of Supervisors learned Feb. 1, even though there is no money in the budget for those.
Architect Chris Phillips of Thompson & Litton told the four supervisors present – Craig City Supervisor Rusty Zimmerman was absent – that the most urgent needs would cost $159,484 to fix, and that the county “should look at these fairly quickly.”
Other needs the design team listed as “Must Do,” are estimated to cost $152,425; “Will Need to Do” for $261,255, and “Recommended” for $283,171.
The good news is that the overall structure of the courthouse built in 1851 is “in good condition, considering its age, and it appears structurally sound.” However, safety hazards and compliance lacking to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) have to be addressed at the courthouse as well as the county-owned building used by the Department of Social Services on the second floor diagonally across Court Street.
Water damage to the courthouse, need for an updated mechanical system, deterioration of exterior walls so much that rainwater “is going in the walls during heavy rains due to no mortar between bricks,” Phillips said, and other maintenance needs are detailed in the 200-plus-page report his team prepared for members of the Board of Supervisors and Interim County Administrator Clay Goodman.
It was Goodman’s last meeting, and both he and new County Administrator, Dan Collins, were present. Goodman pointed out, “There are no funds to pay for this (improvements) in the budget.”
He recommended the county government consider including School Board building improvements in plans for any loans to pay for needs. “It would also help you look at some of the loan programs, which have a minimum loan amount of $1 million,” Goodman told the board.
“The more you can put into one package, the better economy you can get,” Goodman said, and Collins agreed. “I will look at lending options and bring back to the board,” Collins said.
There are possibilities the courthouse project could be submitted for Rural Development funds, and Phillips said he could help the county do that, if desired.
Among ADA needs at the DSS building addressed by the architectural report are the two restrooms which are too small to meet guidelines, and lack of compliance at the front of the courthouse.
