County staff outline courthouse improvements and new law‑enforcement center costs; officials expect city to share operating costs

County facilities staff presented a set of anticipated courthouse repairs and a draft 2026 budget for the new Law Enforcement Center, telling the Board of County Commissioners the county will budget the full operating cost but expects the city to reimburse a share under a yet‑to‑finalized agreement.

Facilities staff (identified in the meeting as Scott) said an earlier transcription error added an extra zero in a building‑improvement line; he corrected the packet to show $140,000 for a particular item after staff cross‑checks. Staff also explained a larger $915,000 renovation estimate appears in the packet as part of a combined project total; that total includes courtroom work and law‑enforcement remodels that staff said will be reimbursed through a grant or interlocal funding on the revenue side when appropriate.

On the new Law Enforcement Center, the facilities presenter walked through staffing and operating assumptions. The draft LEC budget assumes on‑site staffing and includes wages, utilities and custodial supplies; staff said the initial estimate reflected two‑and‑a‑half staff‑equivalents (the presenter said he budgeted a half‑time share of his own time for LEC oversight) and that utilities and repairs would be tracked separately by site once the county finalizes guidance from the legislative auditor. Staff described a likely cost‑split formula of roughly one‑third county and two‑thirds city for shared building operating costs and said the city and county are discussing a reimbursement formula but have not finalized terms.

Facilities staff listed anticipated 2026 building improvements for multiple county facilities: a First Floor handrail, interior painting for several offices, sidewalk and asphalt repairs at the 4‑H building, canopy and roof repairs, retaining wall repairs, new windows washing cycle, pipe insulation in a boiler room, and installing an improved roof access at the 4‑H site. The presenter also noted a rooftop ERV repair estimate the county received for a unit barely out of warranty and that staff planned to solicit other contractors for a better quote.

Commissioners and staff discussed which furniture and equipment purchases belong to the courthouse project versus departmental budgets, confirming that most furnishings for the courthouse and offices to move into a remodeled space will be charged to the larger renovation project rather than individual departmental operating lines. The facilities presenter said most one‑time building‑fit out items for the courthouse remodeling are intended to be part of a single capital project and budgeted together.

On implementation timing, staff said some items are one‑time capital outlays (roof and canopy repairs, roof access) while others are routine maintenance. Staff and commissioners noted uncertainty in the final renovation scope and reiterated that final costs will be clearer after July 28 when architectural firms return scored proposals; commissioners discussed the risk that the $600,000 estimate in the conceptual design could be higher or lower once firms submit final scopes and prices.

Ending: Staff will reconcile the building improvement and furniture lines with the capital project accounting and provide updated cost estimates after the upcoming proposal review; commissioners asked staff to continue refining the LEC budget and to document the proposed county/city cost‑split for later review.