Members of the Small Town Main Street group enjoyed a personal tour of the first floor of the historic Clay County Courthouse on the square Tuesday evening as architect Joe Slaton walked them through the previous work phases and showed them what still needs to be done.
“The idea is to get it usable and then determine what’s going where,” Slaton explained. “If people are interested and they see us working on it, we can move on.“
Slaton said there is enough money to work on the courthouse floor and the stairs. Clay County has contributed funds in years past. So has the Clay County Communities Revitalization Association.
“Last year we raised $45,000,” said Friends of the Courthouse Volunteer Coordinator Sandy Zimmerman. “This year we hope to raise $50,000.”
The courthouse restoration projects already have overcome drainage challenges around the building. Lead abatement has been completed on the first floor so the building is safer for interior work, Slaton explained.
“We have money the county set aside in two previous years,” he said. Next will be installation of a vapor barrier and pouring a new slab, then raising the first floor and adding plumbing for bathrooms.
Beyond that, stairs must be repaired or replaced. A handicap chair lift is being considered to reach the building’s second level. Adding an elevator would cost about $100,000, but a chair lift might be installed for a third of that cost, Slaton said.
By:
Lorraine Bennett
“The idea is to get it usable and then determine what’s going where.” - Joe Slaton
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