Building Maintenance Becoming Major Expense

The Fiscal Court is tasked with many responsibilities. Not only do we have the burden of road maintenance and solid waste services, we also are tasked with offsetting the cost of inmate housing and services, funding for emergency and dispatch services, provide and pay for utilities for all county owned and operated buildings, provide insurance for County owned buildings and vehicles, pay for all auditing services of County departments and try to provide the equipment needed to operate all County services. The one thing that is becoming a major expense is building maintenance. We have had more than our share of expenses with buildings this year. We have constant HVAC issues with the Justice Center “New Courthouse” that seems to be happening more frequently. We get reimbursed on most of those expenses but not all of them. That building will become fully owned by the County in the next couple of years and we won’t get reimbursed any maintenance expenses. We will receive rent from the AOC but only if the Fiscal Court doesn’t occupy any space in the building to my understanding. That is very concerning with the rising cost of material and supplies.

That brings me to the next concern. The old courthouse. Currently, we have no AC or heat in the upstairs. The unit on the rooftop has quit, and I haven’t got an estimate yet. To change it will require a company with the equipment big enough to get it off the roof. We also have a major mold issue in the basement. One estimate we got this week was around $65,000. The area will have to be completely torn out and redone, plus all old record books thoroughly cleaned to be preserved. We are hopeful insurance will help us with the costs. We also just had asbestos removed from one room in the courthouse. We don’t have enough office space at the moment for everyone working in the old courthouse but don’t have anywhere else to put them. I bring all this up today to just make sure I keep everyone informed on issues we are facing that may require some major expenses. How we pay for them is yet to be determined.

Have a blessed week