Baseline costs for courthouse renovation almost $5 million

County commissioners and council members were informed that even though a handful of options were given to fix the courthouse the cheapest estimated costs would be almost $5 million. 
County officials met during a joint session Monday evening to hear a final report on the proposed courthouse renovations that were created by Eric Rowland, of Rowland Design. The final report included updated information on the courthouse renovation options and new proposed costs. 
Rowland briefly reviewed the goals of the report and then the options that were previously introduced to the public on Aug. 13. There are now four options the county could look at to address the issues of the courthouse. 
The options included keeping circuit court in the courthouse and renovating the building; moving circuit court to the justice center into an addition and repurposing the open space of the former circuit courtroom at the courthouse; moving the circuit court and the clerk’s office to a new addition and repurposing the open space; and demolishing the courthouse and building an addition on the justice center.    
Along with the options, Rowland also gave estimated costs that ranged from $4,880,129 to $8,784,100. The costs were for each option with the cheapest estimated costs being the option of keeping circuit court in the courthouse and renovating the building.