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Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Ind. Courts - More bad news re Randolph County Courthouse: Commissioners say "It's time to move on with demolition"

"Commissioners abruptly halt Randolph Courthouse discussions" is the headline to this story today by Joy Leiker in the Muncie Star-Press. Some quotes:

WINCHESTER -- The Randolph County commissioners on Monday abruptly abandoned discussion on the fate of the county courthouse and approved a motion to discontinue their regular semimonthly updates on the issue.

In the words of a commissioner who favors tearing down the building that sits in the center of downtown Winchester, it's time to move on with demolition and the search for temporary courthouse space. * * *

During an interview Monday afternoon, [Commissioner Ron] Chalfant said that, six months removed from the decision to demolish the courthouse, the county has made no progress. In the long run that indecision will cost taxpayers more, he said. It's already cost Randolph County its chance to buy the former Wal-Mart store at 970 E. Washington St. A Kentucky developer finalized the sale of the building last week and now is interested in leasing it to the county as a temporary courthouse location.

"We sit in there month after month listening to people give us information, and at some point we've got to back up," Chalfant said. "In June we voted to raze the old building and that has not changed. We need to move on with that. It's a little difficult to move in that direction when we have opponents filling up all the space every time we meet."

Chalfant pointed to the fact that another resident asked the board's permission to survey the building. It's a public building, and taxpayers don't need to ask permission, he said.

"We've been down this road for six months. People in and out of that building doing assessments. We're at the point now that we want to move on," he said. "The building is just in bad, bad condition, and it's only going to get worse."

The ILB has had nearly a dozen entries on this issue - find them by typing "Randolph County Courthouse" in the search box.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on December 6, 2005 06:55 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts