Lincoln County task force leans toward saving historic Canton courthouse, seeks updated cost estimates

A Lincoln County task force on the old Canton courthouse heard strong public support for preserving the landmark and agreed to seek updated cost estimates before recommending whether to renovate or remove the building.

John Rambo, building superintendent, told the committee the building has functioning air conditioning and steam heat but lacks fresh‑air return in older sections, causing high humidity at peak times and lingering bat guano in some attics. “The steam heat is a little, a little hard to control when it overheats in the winter,” Rambo said, adding that prior air testing showed mold levels at the high end of safe. He said roof timbers show rot and cracking that will require bracing and that thermostat/control fixes run about $4,000 per room, with some suite control replacements quoted at up to $6,000.

Committee members and residents emphasized the courthouse’s historic value and voiced frustration about deferred maintenance. Scott Montgomery, a committee member who toured the building, said a 2020 assessment listed roughly $375,000 in exterior work that he did not see completed. “I don't see that much of that maintenance was ever done,” Montgomery said, arguing that stopping short on repairs risks worsening the structure.

Committee members exchanged cost context for alternatives. Staff noted the new Justice Center cost roughly $54–56 million for 82,000 square feet (about $658 per square foot), and Doug, a committee member, said the old courthouse’s exterior footprint is about 21,000 square feet with roughly 14,000 usable interior square feet. Several members observed that remodeling is typically cheaper than building new but cautioned that remodel bids and scope can be unpredictable.

During public comment, a resident identified as Jason urged the county to view the courthouse as an intergenerational landmark. “You need to plan for multiple generations to come because this is a prominent building in Lincoln County in Canton,” he said, urging preservation despite cost.

The task force identified several near‑term priorities if the county decides to keep the building: (1) update architect/engineer cost estimates and demolition cost projections (committee asked staff to contact ARC Inc and other firms), (2) consider a phased approach to repairs—starting with exterior and drainage work—and (3) evaluate whether limited, targeted expenditures (the 2020 report cited an approximately $10,000 grading/drainage fix) should be made now to protect the foundation.

No formal vote was taken. A committee member proposed budgeting $500,000 to begin exterior maintenance work; members did not adopt that amount but discussed the option. The task force agreed to reconvene after receiving updated numbers and to aim for a recommendation to feed the county’s 2026 budget process.

The committee scheduled follow‑up work to get refreshed estimates and options for phased repairs and said it would report back to the full commission with numbers and a recommendation.