Lincoln County committee weighs demolition, short-term repairs and multi-million-dollar renovation for old courthouse

A Lincoln County committee on the Old Courthouse discussed whether to knock down, shore up or fully renovate the county's historic courthouse in Canton after consultants provided new cost estimates.

John, the meeting's presenter of the circulated memorandum, told the committee that demolition plus a finished façade and utility reconnection would run about $1.29 million, with asbestos remediation still to be priced. "So the overall number then is what we call $1,290,000," he said. He added a full reroofing and long-term structural work to extend the building beyond 20 years would cost about $1.6 million, and a complete remodel including mechanical and electrical upgrades was estimated at $2.9 million; aggregated with engineering fees and a 30% contingency these figures approach $9.6 million to $10 million.

The meeting examined a range of options: a short-term, status-quo repair of the roof and attic (roughly $400,000'$500,000) intended to keep the building usable for a few years; removing the old structure and finishing the façade (about $1.2M); a $6.6M renovation scenario staff described in their model; and a $7M'$8M figure cited for new two-story replacement construction. John warned of uncertainty in systems work and code-driven costs: "So altogether, what we estimate, that would be a $6,600,000 project."

Committee members stressed that the county does not have immediate budget capacity for such large expenditures. Commissioner Arians told colleagues he doubts there is public appetite for tax increases to pay for a major renovation and urged caution: "Folks in Lincoln County right now don't have an appetite to raise their taxes," he said, arguing the courthouse need is more of a long-term desire than a present emergency. Other members suggested community fundraising or a preservation campaign modeled after Minnehaha County's courthouse museum, but members also warned that grant-funded preservation can create long-term maintenance obligations.

Preservationists on the committee emphasized the building's historic value. Chad, who said he would "do everything possible to try to save that building," asked how the county can assign a monetary value to a historic structure and urged exploring local fundraising and civic partnerships. Fiscal and operational concerns were raised in tension with that appeal: commissioners listed competing priorities such as roads, public safety and debt service on other county projects.

Several speakers also noted safety and maintenance risks if the county delays action. Staff cautioned that code updates and the condition of electrical and HVAC systems could drive future costs higher; asbestos tile and hidden rot discovered during repairs might add significantly to price estimates. Committee members said a full, formal survey and architectural/engineering study would narrow figures but warned such a study itself could cost several tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.

No formal motion to demolish or renovate was adopted. The committee agreed to provide the circulated estimates and discussion summary to the three absent commissioners, consider whether a formal study is warranted, and to return with a recommendation if desired. A motion to adjourn was made and the meeting ended at 07:35; no roll-call vote on any option was recorded.

Next steps: the committee suggested the commission review the meeting video and the circulated memorandum, consider whether to pay for a detailed building survey, and discuss potential funding approaches (bond/opt-out, grants, local fundraising) before deciding.