In a release earlier this month, Madison County Manager Rod Honeycutt announced the county’s courthouse operations would be moved to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension – Madison County Center for three months while the courthouse was being renovated.
But in the Madison County Board of Commissioners Oct. 10 meeting, some commissioners are wondering why the county is spending so much money to have the courthouse — one of the oldest in the state, as it was completed in 1908 — renovated at all, when the county already agreed in December 2022 to build a new courthouse within the next five years.
In February 2022, the county formed a focus group aimed at determining the most appropriate use of the $3.8 million issued to the state for courthouse renovations/repairs. The nine-member work group consisted of the clerk of court and two designees, the district attorney or their designee, presiding Madison County judge, the sheriff or their designee, one community member and two Madison County Board of Commissioners members.
Roughly one year later, on Feb. 7, 2023, District Attorney Seth Banks appeared before the commissioners to report on the committee’s building maintenance and repair recommendations.
In that meeting, Banks presented the group’s recommendations, which included mold remediation, new flooring and interior paint, a new metal stairway for emergency egress and a retractable ladder, as well as a roof assessment for water mitigation and improved fire and burglary alarm system.
The group also recommended the county not exceed $500,000, but according to Honeycutt, the costs are estimated to be $539,000.
While the county renovates its courthouse, the courthouse will be out of commission to the public, and the Extension Center will serve as the site of courthouse operations through at least Feb.
In the December 2022 commissioners meeting, Superior Court Clerk Mark Cody said the focus group’s primary objective was to determine whether the funds would be best suited for a new construction or for renovations to the existing facilities.
With these renovations, plus an additional more than $600,000 spent on an architectural assessment performed by Karen Gravel at Asheville-based architectural consulting firm Lord Aeck Sargent, some Madison commissioners used the county’s Oct. 10 meeting to question why the county is electing to renovate the courthouse rather than just build a new one.
These additional renovations are estimated to cost more than $180,000, according to Honeycutt.
According to Honeycutt, Cody and the county Maintenance Director Jesse Roberts recommended an additional $120,000 for hot water on the top floor, office renovations to include adding countertop spaces and performing wall removals, as well as adding LED fixtures throughout the building.
“So, we’re looking at $845,000 to complete the renovations — $300,000 over what the committee recommended, and I’m requesting that you allow us to proceed in publishing an RFP,” Honeycutt said. “I can’t tell you that it’s going to be $845,000 until we get somebody to come back in here and say, ‘Here’s what it’s going to cost.
Honeycutt said the transfer of files from the 12 offices at the courthouse to the Extension Center would cost $70,000.
“There are years of files, we’re talking tractor trailers worth of files, that have to be moved,” Honeycutt said.
“Because of the sensitive nature of the documents, it has to be very secure in storing,” Wechtel said.
All funding for the renovations will come from the $3.8 million allotment from the state, Board of Commissioners Chair Matt Wechtel said.
Leave a Reply