Bonds to be sold for Brooke courthouse addition
Trending
WELLSBURG -- Another step was taken Tuesday in the development of a judicial annex to the Brooke County Courthouse.
Brooke County Commissioners and members of the county's volunteer building commission entered into an agreement through which the latter panel will sell up to $10 million in bonds for the construction of the addition, which will house all of the county's court facilities.
Under state law, county commissions may not enter into contracts beyond their terms, but bonds for such projects may be sold through theirs building commissions.
Rob Steptoe of Crews and Associates, co-bond counsel for the project, noted the commissioners will enter into a lease agreement with the building commission, with lease payments to be made on a yearly basis until the bonds are paid off.
He said that could be in 25 to 30 years or sooner, depending on current interest rates.
Steptoe said the interest rate hasn't been determined but interest for bonds sold by government entities is tax-exempt and at this time, very low.
Commission President A.J. Thomas stressed the move won't mean additional taxes for residents.
Following the meeting, Thomas said the commission has been allocating funds in recent years for the future payments, including $500,000 in this year's budget.
County Commissioner Tim Ennis said of the project, "I have been a county commissioner since 2020 and this is something I've wanted to do since then."
The county's magistrate and family courts were moved to the upper floors of the Progressive Bank building after their facilities in the courthouse's ground floor were flooded in 2004.
But the two courts were returned to the courthouse in recent years after judicial officials cited concerns about handicap accessibility and security for the upper floors of the other building.
The commissioners said the move has resulted in many working within cramped space at the courthouse.
County Commissioner Stacey Wise said of the addition, "It's going to allow things to be run more efficiently and hopefully, will have a positive effect on our community."
Wise and the other commissioners have suggested the investment in an addition to the courthouse will cast the county in a positive light for potential new businesses.
Last week, Wellsburg Council agreed to cede its sidewalk in front of the addition's future site at the corner of Sixth and Main streets. Plans call for the sidewalk to be replaced with a handicap-accessible ramp and a new sidewalk to be built over parking spaces there.
McKinley Architecture and Engineering of Wheeling has been hired to design the building.