More questions than answers, pay me now or pay me later, not an easy or cheap fix, use whichever cliche’ you wish, they all seem to fit as it pertains to plumbing and asbestos issues at the 108 year old Greene County Courthouse.
Some of the Courthouse office holders and others who work in or around the courthouse on a regular basis had been invited by Mayor Morrison to a Thursday afternoon meeting. The topic, how best to move forward to address the problems, while at the same time, continuing day-to-day operations for court related activities, with limited interruptions and inconveniences for all, including the public.
ASBESTOS ISSUES
It appears as though asbestos issues may be worse than originally though, with each floor apparently dealing with it to some degree.
It’s understood asbestos is not believed to pose a threat unless it is disturbed. If it’s deemed necessary to remove the asbestos from the building, then comes the issue of what to do with courthouse operations during that time such as temporarily moving to another facility. Another possibility is construction of a new facility, a topic which County Attorney Roger Woolsey reminded those in attendance was met with public disdain when then Sheriff Steve Burns discussed moving out of the downtown location well over a decade ago. Estimates are in the $60 million range for a totally new facility.
Upon a recommendation from Sessions Judge Kenneth Bailey, a more involved evaluation of the asbestos issues will be conducted in the courthouse before moving forward with other quick fix options.
PLUMBING ISSUES AND ODORS
The plumbing issues the Mayor believes may have been triggered in the century old plus building by the use of jack hammers during the nearby Depot Street renovations.
Whatever the cause, the odor inside the courthouse at times is more noticeable. Some quick fixes have been made to try and alleviate the smell, which seems to be worse during cold weather.
Architect Dave Wright presented blue prints for projected changes, particularly as it pertains to bathrooms throughout the building.
BATHROOM IMPROVEMENTS
One option to overcome the plumbing issues in the building would be construction of a bathroom annex attached to the courthouse, but that Wright says comes with a price tag of around $1.6 million.
MOVING FORWARD
The group plans to meet every other Thursday at 3 at the Courthouse. The next meeting will be April 17.
