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Commissioners propose $75,000 courthouse remodel to relocate public defender office
Summary
Vigo County commissioners requested a $75,000 appropriation to reconfigure courthouse space for the public defender—9s office, citing freed storage after records moved to a new General Services Building and potential state reimbursement up to 40%.
Commissioner Mark Clinkenbeard asked the council to approve an additional appropriation of $75,000 from the split special purpose fund to remodel courthouse space for the Vigo County Public Defender—9s Office.
Clinkenbeard and Chief Public Defender Gretchen Etling said office space is constrained in the annex and courthouse; moving paper records to the General Services Building freed about 1,912 square feet of storage space. The proposed work includes new walls, painting, HVAC and ductwork adjustments, electrical work and new floor coverings to create seven additional office spaces and relocate the public defender—9s entrance to an interior corridor with improved security.
Etling said the office has been paperless for three years and that state reimbursement rules would allow the county to recover a portion of the construction cost. Clinkenbeard and Etling said the state would inspect and calculate reimbursement over a 20-quarter (five-year) schedule; Clinkenbeard said the county—9s net cost after a 40% reimbursement could be about $45,000 overall (the figures cited assume a particular reimbursement formula and a multi-year spread).
Clinkenbeard said he would oversee the project management to reduce general-contractor costs and invited council members to inspect the space before the request returns for action. No formal vote on the appropriation took place at this meeting.
