Dist. 2 County Commissioner Monty Grider spoke at the monthly Eufaula Chamber of Commerce luncheon, giving an update on the $6.2-million makeover of the courthouse.
The project includes a new three-story addition on the west side of the building, the bottom floor of which will be a safe room for the public.
The west wing will add about 35 percent to the overall courthouse floor space. Currently, the building has about 17,000.
Work began in early April and the estimated completion date is June 2025.
As of the Chamber meeting, held on Aug. 21, workers were busy replacing the o courthouse roof, stopping the leaks that have been plaguing the facility.
Crews are about halfway through putting the brick façade on the new wing, which closely matches the brick on the old building.
Grider said the new wing is almost complete.
“The wing is dried in. They should be finishing up the addition early this winter,” he said.
Once the addition is completed, offices in the old portion of the courthouse will be shifted to the new portion to enable workers to remodel the old areas.
One portion of the project has changed.
The original plan called for remodeling to begin on the third floor and working down.
But because of the flooding issues, it was decided to work from the bottom floor up.
This was necessary because of plumbing issues.
“Old clay plumbing in the foundation of the courthouse has been crushed, so they’re going to have to go up from there,” Grider said.
Most of the project is being paid for using funds approved by voters in 2006 and by ARPA funds.
In 2006, voters approved a half-cent county sales tax to build a new jail and for courthouse improvements. The tax was to be in effect for 20 years, expiring in 2026.
Grider said $4.5 million is secured through the half-cent sales tax.
The jail was paid for in May 2022, but no money has been spent on courthouse improvements until now.
“It will be paid for with the sales tax money and ARPA money,” Grider said.
ARPA is the American Rescue Plan Act that supplied federal money to state governments during the COVID-19 crisis.
Grider said folks will be proud of the new courthouse.
He invites everyone to tour the site, especially those who have opposed the project.
He said folks can see for themselves how worn down the old courthouse is.
On another subject, Grider explained why the county government gets so little for road repair.
The money comes from motor vehicle registration, car tags and usage tax.
“By the time we pay off some debts and payroll, we have about $25,000 to take care of 183 miles of county roads,” he said.
He noted that the legislature bases its appropriations for road work on census numbers.
“And I think our census numbers are drastically under-reported,” Grider said. The 2010 census showed 101 residents of Stidham. In 2020, it showed 3.”
Money from the legislature is divided among the three commissioner districts in the county – Districts 1 and 2 get 25 percent each and District 3 receives 50 percent.
