©2011 Galesburg Broadcasting Co.
| Public Voices Concerns on Courthouse |
A courtroom full of Galesburg residents got the chance to share their ideas on how to solve the problem of an aging Knox County Courthouse.
Allen Varney, an architect with Ament, Inc. of Cedar Rapids Iowa did a review of the courthouse conditions and the problems seemed to outweigh the solutions. The courthouse had numerous safety and health issues including items that were not up to current fire codes or Americans with Disabilities Act regulations.
The building ad hoc committee of the Knox County Board seemed to have three solutions to the courthouse issue. They could remodel the existing courthouse with an addition to house offices, they could build a brand new facility, or purchase an abandoned building and remodel and make use of the new facility.
Building Committee Chair Stephen Johnson tells WGIL the problems with the courhouse have never really been solved. "The problems with this courthouse have developed over many, many years," Johnson said. "When a problem has developed, there's been a band-aid approach taken. Instead of fixing the cause, they just fix the immediate problem. Now all that's caught up to us. We need new plumbing, we need new heating, we need new electrical. And everything costs money. The longer we wait, the more expensive it gets."
Citizens had a chance to share their concerns with the building committee and now the board must come up with a recommendation on what is best for avenue to take.
(Story by Dominic Fortini. WGIL News Photos by Will Stevenson.) |
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| 10 07 08 by Newsroom |
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