New West Memphis Courthouse needed

New West Memphis Courthouse needed

City makes room in 2019 budget to upgrade facilities

By John Rech

news @ theeveningtimes .com It leaks and parts are overloaded. It’s not a utility pump. It’s the West Memphis District Courthouse, added to a growing list of multiple municipal buildings needing repair, renovation or replacement, including two fire stations and the police station City Treasurer Frank Martin revealed the problems during 2019 budget discussions.

“All these buildings are in such sad shape, built in the ‘70’s or before and nothing has been done to them,” said Martin.

A consulting engineer reported the building repair as cost prohibitive to completely renovate and the city began scouting other courthouses while considering a new building for the district court.

The original O.I.

Bollinger building stands the strongest of the four builds that made the courthouse as it stands today, but the second floor is taking on a lot of water.

Engineers noted clay tile deterioration and buckled paneling as the result of apparent roof leaks.

The second story of the building connecting the Bollinger building to the courtroom was overloading the first story. Multiple cracks and repair jobs to the brick showed the stress. In, fact the overload was so severe engineers recommended removing files from the second floor. Finally the courtroom wing had cracked all around the perimeter.

Martin summed it up. It rains in there.

“There is not enough space and the people in there are ankle-deep in water when it rains,” said Martin. “No one with a ticket wants to go in front of the judge when it is raining.”

Engineers lined out two options to remedy the problems. The cost to save the Bollinger building and adding new courtroom was estimated at $3.3 million.

The preliminary estimate build new courthouse amounted to a million dollars less.

Either way the project would take at least 18 months and a interim location was needed. A $200,000 moving expense to transport files, computers and telecommunication was also expected during construction. It needs to be done,” said Councilman James Pulliaum.

The Bollinger building was designated historic but no federal funds had gone into restoring the building leaving the city with many remodeling options for Art Deco era building.

“It’s on the historic register but there has been no federal money spent on it,” said Martin. “We could do some repair there and move some other city people into it. It’s the oldest part of the building but the only part considered repairable.”

One new location was discussed. A search is on for a temporary relocation as well. The empty lot between city hall and Avalon jumped out.

“We have our own land back there,” said Pulliaum.

“That will help us out. In any event the county will have to help pay half.”

Since the meeting court and city representatives made one trek to Jonesboro to see the features of the courthouse there.

Councilman Tracy Catt forged on through the financial considerations.

“When we look at the totals we still need to bring in the fire departments, the police station, and the other buildings,” said Catt.

“We may restructure the bond issue.”

Mayor Marco McClendon shared his focus on building projects. “There are several we need to do, a new courthouse is one,” said Mc-Clendon. “We definitely need to do something for the fire department with the building on the east end of town and the one on Barton. We need one on North College.”

“That would be something to start working on,” said Pulliaum.

The north College location would improve the fire rating to the far reaches of the industrial area in the northwest portion of the city. Improved ratings reduce fire insurance costs for industry and distribution centers. “One of the land owners out there may be willing to give you the land; it’s selfish but it improves their marketability,” said Catt.