TRAVERSE CITY – The Grand Traverse County Historic Courthouse building is in need of renovation, an undertaking that would cost about $2 million for the construction and take about six months.
An informational presentation by Circuit Court Administrator Trina Girardin to the county board of commissioners on Wednesday detailed particular renovations.
Structural issues, with water entry and wall crumbling, as well as the need for a new roof, were identified as priorities.
Board members also heard comments from 13th Circuit Court Judge Charles Hamlyn about crowded rooms, poor HVAC systems and meeting privacy concerns in the 127-year-old structure.
Commissioners took no action on that recommendation at this time.
The board did:
– Approve the purchase of enhanced IT capacities in the public training room at the county’s Health Services Building for a cost of $31,592.
– And heard about planned roadway improvements on Three Mile Road, Townline Road and Hammond Road in the next two to three years from Road Commission Director Dan Watkins.
Watkins also discussed plans to begin chip-sealing specific roads in the county starting in spring. Chip-sealing is a pavement preservation technique wherein a thin layer of small stones is applied to a road surface that has been sprayed with heated asphalt. It typically extends the lifespan of a roadway surface by about five years, he said.
– The board also heard from Commissioner Darryl Nelson about the new recycle drop-off location at 6455 U.S. 31 North in Acme Township near the former K-mart building. The bins are positioned in the northern part of the parking lot past Pickle U and Flex Self Storage.
The new site replaces a former location near the Ace Hardware Store on Bunker Hill Road.