Courthouse upgrade should be finished next year

NEW LEXINGTON — Coming to the end of a nearly eight-year process, the Perry county courthouse renovations are set to end in 2025. This renovations project started at the time Perry County Commissioners President Ben Carpenter took office.

What originally began as renovations for the front steps of the courthouse, later expanded in response to calls about a leaking ceiling and water damage on the walls in the common pleas courtroom on the top floor. An investigation was then undertaken as the commissioners brought in the firm Professional Service Industries Inc. to do testing on the soil and drainage spouts.

What was found was “extensive wetness” surrounding the whole outside of the courthouse. This was due to water running off the roof rather than to the drainage spouts, resulting in water soaking into the courthouse. This caused many issues such as water damage to the walls, and the soil underneath not being fiirm enough to hold up the building, resulting in its leaning four inches towards the old jailhouse.

With the building housing eight offices and staff, the county was also running into the issue of lack of space and outgrowing the location. Timelines also came into play, as Perry County Job & Family Services (PCJFS) was nearing the end of their 30-year allocation plan which paid for the building they were in.

The county commissioners agreed to move JFS into new buildings and to build them a new “Opportunity Center” to help them better serve the community. With the move of JFS out of its original building on South Main Street in New Lexington, the commissioners moved all non-court related offices to what is now known as the new administration building. This building houses the Perry County commissioners, recorder, auditor, treasurer, prosecutor, soil & water conservation distric, and OCES. New locations have been found for the courts as they wait to be placed back into the courthouse, while “non-court related” offices will remain in the administration building even after renovations are concluded.

The fundings for these renovations were paid for by the county. Grants and other federal funding were applied for but denied each time. The commissioners were able to make this project happen by saving the money to provide this renovation. This is very similar to when the courthouse was first built. After county offices left the courthouse on the public s square in Somerset in 1857, due to the county seat being moved to New Lexington, a new courthouse was built in New Lex using private funds. As the original courthouse became undersized for its needed purpose, the current courthouse was built in 1887, for a price of $143,000, which in today’s money would come to around $4.5 million.

The Perry County Commissioners partnered with Schooley Caldwell, CK Construction, and several other companies to assist with all-around renovations. During the upgrade, several artifacts and items have been found that date back to the 1800’s. Renovation workers are doing the best they can to preserve the history and keep it as a staple of the courthouse, some of these processes include creating new moldings of cast iron designs found on the walls, and working with companies to replicate artifacts found.