LEE COUNTY – Lee County officials had further discussion on how to proceed with the county’s two courthouses on Monday.
During a workshop following the regular session of the Lee County Board of Supervisors, chairwoman Denise Fraise brought the issue up saying she wanted to keep moving with the discussions.
“We’re not going to discuss building a new courthouse. We’re not going to discuss anything like that. Let’s keep on point,” she said.
Supervisors Garry Seyb and Ginger Knisley toured the south courthouse last week after discussions during the board meeting Tuesday alluded to the facility not being large enough to house all the Iowa Judicial District 8B’s requirements for court services.
However, Seyb said his opinion is that the building has plenty of space, after the tour Friday.
“It was the most comprehensive walk of that courthouse I’ve done. We went with (Carl A. Nelson reps) at no charge. Basically, what I was looking at in my mind was just square footage from a layperson’s perspective just walking through.”
He said there was an “amazing amount of space” and a lot of that is storage.
“I don’t know any way that it wouldn’t fit,” he said.
Knisley said it was “haphazard storage space” and there was room.
Seyb said this was a no-cost step one and having someone with professional space say it will fit is the next step and suggested a study and general architectural drawing of how it could fit and what would be the cost.
“That would not only give ourselves an ability to answer questions, but if we go to the public for or against, we’ve got something that’s not just Seyb’s feeling or Knisley has a feeling. We have a hard, fast number,” Seyb said.
The county has spent more than $1.2 million since 2018 renovating and repairing the South Lee County Courthouse in Keokuk including tuckpointing, a boiler replacement, and a new roof. Reports show the county spent close to $92,000 during the last fiscal year, which ended June 30, to operate the courthouse.
The North Lee Courthouse has also had tuckpointing done and some landscaping, including repairing a retaining wall. Those figures weren’t available, but the county spends about $44,000 per year operating the North Lee County Courthouse in Fort Madison.
Seyb said having a drawing prepared would give the county more information on what it would cost to renovate the building for all the county’s court services. Seyb also said he believes the county services, including recorders and treasurer’s services, would be able to stay in the building.
Seyb said a feasibility study on moving all the court services to Keokuk would cost the county in the range of $50,000 to $70,000.
“If we don’t take this next step and spend that money, what have really answered?” he said. “It’s not going to be an unsubstantial amount of funds, but is in the public’s best interest. It’s not just a gut feeling and it’s a professional agency and it’s moving us forward.”
Supervisor Tim Wondra agreed saying the county, and specifically the building committee, that was charged with investigating the county’s properties and how best to move forward, are all at a standstill when it comes to the courthouses.
Fraise said she was going to put an item on a future agenda for action on the study as the workshop was for discussion only.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here