There will be some improvements made to the Manitowoc County Courthouse.
The County Board of Supervisors approved borrowing about $4 million last night (January 16th) to replace the windows and HVAC system at the courthouse.
Some board members, like Douglas Klein, had some questions about the county borrowing the money before they had companies bid on the project.
County Finance Committee Chair “Biff” Hansen says the money must be there before the county can move forward with asking for bidders.
County Public Works Director Gerry Neuser says the $4 million should be enough after a 2022 study is done for the project.
“That dollar amount was put together by JP Cullen, who is a contractor who does projects like this,” he explained. “It was inflation-adjusted for 2024. We also went locally. We went to a company in Sheboygan that furnishes and installs these types of windows, and we had them estimate what it would cost.”
He says the track record for the public works department is also very good, and in his thirty years, there hasn’t been a time that he needed to ask the county for more money.
The west side of the courthouse has taken the most damage from the elements according to Neuser.
Supervisor Klein and Supervisor Ryan Phipps were the only two who did not vote to borrow the money, while there were three absent from last night’s board meeting.
