Commission votes to pursue application of federal courthouse

The Cape Girardeau County Commission voted unanimously Thursday to apply for the purchase of the old federal courthouse building.

After a 45-minute closed session the commission announced it voted 3-0 on the matter. The commission will now send its application and a down payment of 10 percent of the building's cost to the General Services Administration via overnight mail. The GSA's deadline is Friday.

Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones would not disclose the price of the sale.

"The situation now is that the building is available at a very reasonable price," Jones said after the meeting. "We've figured out how to do that in the confines of our budget.

"Right now there are two options -- buy the building or stay in the Common Pleas Courthouse," Jones said. "There are those who want to promote the idea of building a new courthouse. Without the vote of the people and a bond issue, it's impossible to do that."

Before the closed session, District 2 Commissioner Jay Purcell presented a letter from circuit judges William Syler and Benjamin Lewis expressing reservations about moving to the old federal building. Both judges work in the Common Pleas Courthouse.

"Does it impact our decision-making process or do we delay before talking to the judges?" Purcell asked. "In our previous meeting it's been discussed the main reason [for the move] is accommodating the judges."

Jones said the letter would not postpone vote.

In the letter, Syler and Benjamin said the acquisition of the old federal courthouse would be a great improvement over the "ancient" Common Pleas Courthouse, which is 155 years old. The judges said their concerns with that courthouse include handicap inaccessibility, a lack of security and high utility costs.

However, the two judges said the Jackson courthouse, which is 101 years old, has its own problems. Trials are often delayed, the judges said, because jurors, witnesses and attorneys go to the wrong courthouse. They added that prisoners walk from the jail to the courthouse for trial, exposing the inmates to inclement weather and posing a danger to the public both outside and inside the close quarters of the courtroom.

Therefore, the letter said, the best solution would be to build a new courthouse in Jackson that has at least five courtrooms, the circuit clerk's office and an attachment to the current county jail.

"Acquisition of the Federal Building will be a great improvement over the antique facility we now occupy," the letter said. "It will, however, doom any chance of acquiring an adequate facility in Jackson for the next fifty years."

District 1 Commissioner Paul Koeper said the letter was taken into consideration.

"We as a county commission are required to provide an adequate, safe and secure space," Koeper said. "We hope to move forward and be in the courthouse within a year."

Purcell said that while he supports the purchase of the courthouse, his only reservation was the lack of public input about the building.

"It was the right thing to do, but I question how we came to the decision to do it," Purcell said.

Jones feels confident the GSA will approve the application.

"They sent the application to us, and we've responded to every one of their requests," Jones said.

Other business

In other action, the commission:

• Denied an appeal to reassess the assessed valuations on three parcels of property. Those three properties are 607 S. Kingshighway, 611 S. Kingshighway and a nearby vacant lot.
• Voted to change the classification of a vacant piece of land in the Hillcrest Manor subdivision off Route K from agriculture to residential. The property is owned by Lisa Sparkman.
• Awarded a contract to Jokerst Inc. of Ste. Genevieve, Mo., for grading improvements on County Roads 256 and 259. Jokerst was the low bidder at $65,511.
• Approved a new lease for an antenna. The two-year lease with Zimmer Radio Inc. of Cape Girardeau is $2,672.70 annually.
• Accepted bids for grading improvements on County Road 387. The lowest bid is Elmer Buchheit Construction of Friedheim, Mo., with $99,318.80. The highest bid is $266,600 by Gregory Construction of Jackson.

bblackwell@semissourian.com

388-3628

Pertinent address:

1 Barton Square, Jackson, MO

339 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO