Brown County officials are preparing the courthouse for renovations.
Since the Brown County courthouse was built in the late 1800s, County Commissioner President John Kennard says there has been very little preventative maintenance done on the building because of financial and budget constraints.
“So when you start looking at the storage issues, the space issues, you start looking at heating and air conditioning efficiency issues, it just continues to mount,” Kennard says.
County Administrator Michael Thompson says the courthouse also needs some roof work, a larger jury deliberation room, and more storage space for the clerk’s office.
“I believe that technology needs to be used for storage of records for paperwork. We’re in that digital age. I know there are some legal ramifications about how long actual paper has to be kept,” he says. “That’s why we have books over there that go back to the 1800s.
Thompson says construction will likely begin in 2013 or 2014.
