Assistant judge tells House committee counties have tools to fund courthouse repairs, urges reserve planning

Joyce McKeenan, an assistant judge in Orange County and president of the Vermont Association of County Judges, told the House Corrections and Institutions Committee on April 9 that counties have statutory and financial tools to pay for courthouse repairs and upgrades and that many counties keep capital reserve accounts to respond to emergencies.

McKeenan said county officials can “keep up to 75% of the county budget in a reserve fund” and that statute also allows counties to levy up to 5% of their equalized grand list. She told the committee counties also may bond for large projects and take commercial loans when needed.

The testimony came as the committee examined how courthouses are funded and maintained after the state unified court operations. McKeenan said the restructuring left some questions about which level of government pays for building maintenance and capital projects and that in practice most day-to-day upkeep remains a county…