Courthouse offices to be reconfigured

Patti Jo Peterson

Managing editor

Cass County Courthouse employees will be on the move with work on the lighting and sprinkling system to begin.

Shannon K. Jones, project manager for Berggren Architects in Lincoln, presented changes to the county’s 2008 Master plan so work on the courthouse can continue with the least disruption to county business.

“Some of these changes are coming about as a result of the sprinkling and lighting system,” Jones said. “We want to make sure there is an end goal rather than to alleviate an immediate need.”

Jones outlined a two-phase approach “to make changes in the courthouse in relation to the Law Enforcement Center,” she said. These changes would need to be made in the next 45-60 days.

The first phase entails moving different departments and making additional space, while the construction is being done. The second phase proposes building a link between the enforcement center and courthouse, and has no deadline for its start or completion.

Phase II aims at improving courtroom and hallway security and minimizing prisoners’ interaction with the public. The proposal includes moving the district and county court to the third level.

A priority in Phase I is moving the probation department, CASA and veterans services out of the courthouse to another facility, leaving space for drivers testing to move and leave a transition space during the lighting/sprinkler work.

CASA currently occupies a room adjacent to the commissioners’ chambers. The CASA office could become an open room, workroom or conference area for the county commissioners.

“Right now the situation (for CASA) is not ideal. “There are a lot of issues. If she had a space, clientele would be able to access her more readily,” Jones said.

Jones proposed the register of deeds office be moved to the first floor where veterans services and drivers testing are located.

“It would give the register of deeds closer proximity to the surveyor and annex, where you have a lot of the same clientele,” she said.

The county court clerk’s department would be moved to the register of deeds former office. County court would temporarily move from the third floor, so the county court clerk and county court would end up across from one another.

The county attorney’s offices and child support and diversion would move the former county court clerk’s space.

“Once the sprinkler and lighting is complete, the county treasurer’s office could expand into what was the child support and diversion office,” Jones said.

The link proposed for Phase II would house America Disability Act compliant restrooms, emergency stairs and an elevator.

“This would open up both the (existing) men’s and women’s restrooms for storage and offices for the county surveyor,” Jones said. “The link would provide larger space for the restrooms with two to three stalls, and emergency stairs and elevator.

The elevator would be both for the Law Enforcement Center and courthouse with access to both at different levels. The link could also be home for a larger maintenance area, she said.

During Phase II, the county courtroom would return to the third floor and support staff for both courts would be there as well.

“The footprint on the link is based on the most economic footprint,” said Jerry Berggren of Berggren Architects.

Commissioner Jim Peterson said he understood that the footings of the courthouse could not withstand an addition.

Berggren said there were ways to address that issue.

“There are alternatives and we’ll have to explore those.”

He suggested a cantilever system where the link would not put any additional bearing on the courthouse structure.

Berggren asked commissioners for help in moving forward with Phase I goals and a commitment to constructing a link.

Cass County Board Chairman Jim Engelkemeir recommended the board make a decision at its next meeting.

The issues will also be discussed at a workshop scheduled Feb. 9 at the fairgrounds.