The courthouse dilemma: Build new or repair old

Approximately 20 people representating Nuckolls County areas of Nelson, Lawrence, Oak and Superior, met with the three commissioners, Jerry Grove, Timothy Zikmund, and David Mussmann, and county employees Susan Rogers, assessor, Carry Miller, county clerk and Tami Sharp, treasurer, to discuss the possibility of erecting a new courthouse building in Nelson.

Presented by the commissioners were drawn sketches by an architect of what the proposed new metal building would look like. It included an elevation view and layout of the office spaces. It was made clear these are not blueprints, but architectural sketches that were drawn at the fee of $3,600.

It’s more than inconveniences in repairing an old building. There are health and safety hazards present which require more than a can of paint. Continual repairs are costly and major renovations needs to be done to bring the building up to safety codes and standards.

To what extent and expense is the county and community willing to accept to get the 134-year-old courthouse rebuilt to present day standards? At what point is it enough or too much to invest in the old or is building a new courthouse in order? The commissioners indicated this is a crossroad for the county.

The commissioners pointed out, in part, repairs that have been done, the current condition of the building and their thoughts on building a new courthouse. They welcomed the community’s questions and concerns.

The current courthouse building was built in 1890. It consists of attic space, a clock tower, two floors and a basement. There has not been any major renovations since then. However, there has been pricey upkeep along the way. Here is a list of some repairs that have been done and need to meet criterions from top to bottom.

The roof is 15 years old and will need replacement in the near future.

Bats have occupied the attic for many years. The attic has been sealed four times. Upon one inspection, there weren’t any signs of bats, then two months later there were piles of guano measuring feet high. The odor from the bat’s urine infiltrates the building like the smell of cat urine. Both guano and bat urine can cause serious respiratory problems in humans and is corrosive to building materials. The bats have entered the building at times when people are present. One access point is through the clock tower.

Without closing up the clock tower, bats enter the attic. The tower gets water splash back creating mold and mildew issues.

There is no duct work to the second floor, so it is not heated and cooled adequately. To bring forced air there, duct work would need to be added and furnaces add to the attic. This adds additional concern with the bats present in the attic.

To use the ramp to enter the first floor is problematic for someone using a wheelchair. The ramp was improperly installed and the installer is unreachable to make the corrections. This was at the cost of $15,000. The new ramp will be $25,000.

About $48,000 was spent on replacing windows. During installation, one window wouldn’t fit as previously measured because of the settling of the building. The county cannot collect on warranty of the windows because the business who installed them went out of business.

One furnace was installed and duct work put in place, so the hallways are somewhat heated on the first floor. Employees need to use electric space heaters in their offices.

Heat pumps were installed six years ago. The cost of this upgrade was $375,000. Each pump has a 10 year warranty. Time is nearing the end of the guarantee. Out of 24 units, 20 of them have needed to be replaced. The units are made internationally, so it takes months to get replacement parts or units. When it is cold, the pumps freeze up. Each heat pump leaks.

The original boiler system was deleted years ago including removal of the pipes.

Older systems become obsolete as well as finding their parts for repairs. It becomes challenging to find technicians with the knowledge of how to maintain outdated equipment.

The first floor true ceiling is 10 feet to 12 feet high. It is covered with a drop-down tile ceiling at about 8 feet. After moisture soaked the true ceiling, the wood and plaster gave way and fell through the tile ceiling landing on the assessor’s desk. Fortunately, she was not harmed.

The electrical system throughout is outdated and creates other potential hazards. The early electrical needs don’t compare to how electricity is used today. Heating and cooling differed. There weren’t computers, fax machines and other office equipment. Electrical requirements of the past compared to the load that is needed now is vastly different.

There aren’t enough outlets to plug in equipment without plugging multiple pieces into multiple plug strips and extension cords to power up equipment. In one incident, there was too much heat from just computers being plugged in and the plug strip cords melted together. Now, add electric heaters to the load.

Utilities run about $5,500 per month. It is thought that with more efficiency the cost of utilities should decrease.

Radon exposure required departments and employees to be relocated. Some walls were removed from the basement to help with the mold and mildew, but it didn’t completely eliminate the issue. Needless to say, a high radon level is a silent killer.

In 2016, remediation was done for mold and mildew. That cost was $55,000. Today, the growth is worse now than prior to that work being done. The growth is not solely located in the basement as it is behind the walls as well.

After damage caused by the lightening strike on the courthouse, it caused further water damage to spread mold to other floors.

In some areas, the brick and mortar of the building has crumbled to dust. This has caused the shifting of how the building sits on its foundation (and had its effects on the window installation).

The inside and outside of the basement needs to be sealed. Recently, the building was without proper heating and cooling for one year. Without the environmental control, it’s difficult to rid the humidity in such a large space.

To help combat expenses of the county and maintaining an old building, employees try to figure out how to cut costs. Royce Gonzalez rewrote some programs including ones for the state child support and for dispatch saving funds. In 2006, Susan Rogers became the in-house appraiser. Without having to hire someone else to do the assessments, it has saved the county $1,000.000.

Previous boards have made attempts to keep moving forward in repairing the courthouse building. Commissioners today are taking a step back to reassess what is the next best step for the county and community’ needs.

The Historical designation does not provide funds to assist in the redevelopment of the current courthouse. There hasn’t been any expression of interest in taking over the building if the new one is built.

The proposed new structure would be a metal building measuring 90 feet by 130 feet equaling 11,700 square feet. By not exceeding 12,000 square feet the building would not require a sprinkler system. Eliminating this option from the start saves cost on maintenance and potential damage of furnishings, equipment, administrative paperwork and even prevention of mold and mildew should there be a water leak or the sprinklers are set off unnecessarily.

It will be one story, easier access and ADA compliant.

A new building would satisfy current codes and standards. It would be heated and cooled properly. With much consideration, measures would be taken to prevent bat infiltration. The cost of the new building includes a $93,000 security system, all furnishings within the building and a parking lot. It does not include removal of the old building. Inquiry of the demolition cost has been made and the county is awaiting a reply. The estimated cost of the new building is $4.7 million. The project will be put out to bids.

The county lowered the levy by $2,000,000 and is in reserve in an account. There is inheritance money in the bank earning 5.3 percent interest. However, inheritance tax is unpredictable. Some of those funds can be used to offset costs. If the money were borrowed, the USDA interest rate is at 3.5 percent. The expected duration of the loan is expected to be 10 to 25 years.

It was noted that in considering the math of the percentages above, now would be a good time financially to move forward in investing in a new site. The effort is to avoid raising taxes. The county is not permitted to have a sinking fund or building fund.

The majestic and historical courthouse sitting on the hill in Nelson have sentiments with the community. A few citizens expressed their emotions of the courthouse building. Several people from neighboring communities posed their questions and concerns about preserving this monument in comparison to purchasing a new build. Answers ensure or were addressed above.

“How soon in a new building will there be bats; it’s an ideal environment. Will foam be used?”

“Could a small building be built over the heat pumps that are outside to cover them and keep them at 50 degrees, so they don’t freeze? Then more heat will go into the building.”

“What if we don’t end up having a courthouse here in Nelson? Then what will become of the new building plans?”

That has come up in discussion and the answer is uncertain about the future location of the courthouse.

“Does the price of the new building include the demolition of the old building? Or what will become of the old building? Would the Nuckolls County Historical Society be interested in the building?”

“Is it possible to get trades in, or a contractor, to give written estimates of what it would cost to do all the needed repairs on the courthouse?”

“What would it cost to gut the courthouse and reconstruct the interior of the building? Could there be something in writing to better compare a remodel assessment and costs with the same of a new build?”

“What is the time frame of building?”

This is in the brainstorming stages and no definitive decisions have been made.

The commissioners are taking a serious look at the question “At what point do you stop sinking funds into an outdated building and build a new one? For this reason the public is invited to attend the meetings and give their input.

Next public sessions will be Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 10:30 a.m. and again at 6:30 p.m. held at the county courthouse in Nelson.