Election Day is around the corner
By Stu Merry, BHG News Service
McLean County voters will be heading to the polls Nov. 2. They will be tasked, with among other things, to decide whether to give county officials the OK to proceed with building a new courthouse and to demolish the existing structure. In the election, voters will have the following question posed to them: Should the McLean County Board of Commissioners build a new courthouse? Officials have been canvassing the county in recent weeks in an attempt to answer any questions McLean County voters may have regarding the courthouse issue. County officials say that according to figures prepared by Architect Al Fitterer of Bismarck, the cost to renovate the existing facility would be more than $6 million. Additional expense would be incurred by relocating courthouse offices to other locations during the renovation process. Construction of a new facility is estimated at approximately $5.5 million. Eight years ago, voters turned back a plan to build a new courthouse, opting to preserve the existing 1907-1917 structure for its historical significance. Since then, more than $240,000 has been poured into repairs and maintenance costs.
