Over the last several months, the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors has spent nearly $100,000 in taxpayers’ money for the county courthouse project, which according to some estimates could cost taxpayers up to $40 million.

Since hiring construction manager W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Company in July 2017 and LPK Architects, P.A. in August 2017, invoices from the two businesses obtained by a Freedom of Information request by The Meridian Star show a total of $99,569 for pre-construction and design costs. 

In an invoice dated March 22, Yates billed the county $45,585 for pre-construction costs, with a 3.5 percent fee of $1,669.33. On Dec. 21, 2017, LPK Architects billed the county $23,712.50 for architectural services for the Lauderdale County Courthouse and $28,602.54 for services related to the J.C. Penney relocation project.

This on top of $85,000 paid by the county for a study on the courthouse project delivered in December, 2016 by Belinda Stewart Architects. 

Meanwhile, no significant work has been done to correct problems at the courthouse, which was built in 1905.

Lauderdale County Administrator Chris Lafferty said the money is well spent considering the future benefits.

“At the end of the project, we will be able to look back and see where both of those entities have saved us tremendous amounts of money,” Lafferty said. “Any time you can have Yates and LPK working together, you’re going to hit some home runs … They have a wealth of knowledge that we don’t possess based on the experience level. So yes it’s money well spent.” 

Safety and structural issues with the courthouse have been a hot topic with the board.

Grand jury reports dating at least to 2000 have cited unsafe conditions and the need to make repairs, add space and protect courthouse workers and visitors. Well-documented issues include an antiquated ventilation system, black mold, insufficient emergency exits, paint and plaster peeling from the walls and ceilings, exposed wires, bolted windows in the grand jury room and offensive odors in the county courtroom.

The board spent the latter part of 2017 working on a plan to temporarily relocate courthouse operations to the J.C. Penney building at Bonita Lakes Mall by March 1, but that plan has since been scrapped and workers remain in the courthouse.

Yates’ $45,585 invoice includes fees for an estimator, director of pre-construction, senior estimator, an intern and a project manager, while LPK’s $23,712 bill for architectural services for the courthouse includes $16,012.50 in labor, including 47.50 hours at $225 per hour for the principal architect.

Luke’s initial contract amount of $95,341 for the J.C. Penney project, which is listed as 30 percent complete, is billed at $28,602 for architectural design.

Supervisors currently favor, instead, obtaining the old federal courthouse building — home to the United States Post Office — as a starting point for the project.

The county would use at least two floors of the building while the post office would continue to operate on the bottom floor.

Board President and District 2 Supervisor Wayman Newell said using the federal building will save taxpayers millions of dollars.

“That would take down the square footage you would have to add to put into the courthouse,” Newell said. “If it works out with the federal building, then it’s money well worth it because the architect and his associates have been dealing with the postal service.”

District 1 Supervisor Jonathan Wells said he is pleased with the results so far, but the price tag, not so much.

“Is it justified? Yes. I just don’t like it. It’s just like opening up your power bill,” said Wells, who agreed that the savings from using the federal building in tandem with a newly renovated county courthouse is the best way to go.

“We’re anxiously waiting to hear from the USPS,” Wells said. “Then the people will see us taking some action, whether it’s moving into the federal building or starting on an add-on on the east side of the [courthouse].”

District 5 Supervisor Kyle Rutledge said although a lot of money has been spent, Yates and LPK have provided “good guidance on everything,” although “I hate that we spent that much.”

“I’m ready to see something done instead of us keep spending money on things,” Rutledge said.

Rutledge also said he understands the courthouse needs to be gutted and rebuilt on the inside.

“I’m still scared to death of doing that,” he said. “I want to really go somewhere else because of the cost. Personally, I would be fine with us having a metal building and putting a brick facade on it.

“I’m more about functionality than cost. If we spend $30 to $40 million on the courthouse, it’s not going to bring any more revenue into Lauderdale County — it’s not going to create anymore jobs … I would rather invest that money into something that would benefit the community more. But I’m only one vote.”