On Tuesday, Mississippi County Judge Dr. Terri Brassfield called an all-committee meeting to discuss the Blytheville Mississippi County Courthouse issue.
Architect Aaron Ruby presented a Blytheville courthouse renovation project study to the committee. Last month the QC spent $25,000 to have the study done and Ruby presented basic plans, a 3D rendering and cost comparison for building a new courthouse versus renovating the current courthouse. After much discussion from the QC a motion was made to present a resolution “to declare intent to proceed with financing county courthouse renovation project” at the regular QC meeting that same night. At the regular meeting, JP Neil Burge motioned to accept the resolution followed by a second from JP Bill Nelson. The resolution passed 8-2 with JP Michael White and JP Rick Ash voting against and JP Aaron Fleeman not being present at the meeting.
The resolution states that the county, “intends to finance capital improvements in the form of County Courthouse Renovation Project; it is the County’s intention to seek voter approval to issue Sales and Use Tax Bonds (the “Bonds”) to provide funds for completion of the Renovation Project; The Quorum Court hereby designates Steel, Wright, Gray Lawyers PLLC of Little Rock, AR as Issuer’s Council, Stephens Inc., as Underwriter, and Friday, Eldredge & Clark, LLP, of Little Rock, Arkansas as Bond Counsel in connection with the potential issuance of the Bonds.”
The passing of the resolution does not mean that the courthouse will be renovated; however, it does mean that the QC will hold a special election, likely in February, asking the voters to possibly extend the Mississippi County Hospital tax to fund the bond issue for the renovation.
At the all-committee meeting, Ruby explained to the committee how the process of renovating would work and what the renovations would look like. Ruby explained the project would include both the renovation of the current courthouse and an addition being made to the courthouse.
The addition would be made on the back of the building that currently faces Chickasawba Street and would take up the parking space that is connected to the courthouse.
The project would also include renovation to the parking lot on the opposite side of Chickasawba Street.
The additions made to the building would provide more space for offices in the courthouse, desperately needed storage space for physical copies of Mississippi County records and an additional courtroom.
Ruby stated that the current courthouse would look vastly different once the remodel was finished, stating that the only things that would likely remain similar in design were the lobby in the front of the building and the current courtroom on the third floor.
The county has been in desperate need of more storage space for physical documents and records that the county is required to keep and store by law.
The law also states that the records must be kept safe in a climate-controlled environment; however, that has not been the case for the past several years.
Many records are currently stored off-site across the county and these facilities do not always meet the requirements for the storage.
The new courthouse would provide much needed space for records to be stored in and kept safe from the elements.
The renovation of the courthouse would take about 18 months once renovation and construction begin; however, all staff and business that is currently conducted in the courthouse will have to find an alternative place to conduct said business while renovation is occurring.
White stated that there were a few buildings that the county could operate out of in the district though they did not specifically make plans for where business would be conducted.
gwilliams@blythevillecourier.com