(Spirit Lake)– With construction of the new courthouse barely started, Dickinson county supervisors Tuesday talked about parking at the new facility.
A lack of parking at the courthouse has been a longstanding issue with supervisor Wayne Northey. He wants plans for a parking lot on the west side of the new courthouse to be expanded so handicap parking can be moved closer to the facility.
The county’s owner-representative on the courthouse project, Bob Schlager, told the supervisors the general contractor on the project gave him an estimate of 360-thousand dollars for a nine thousand square foot lot with 30 spaces in it.
A motion by Northey to have the courthouse architect draw up those plans at a cost of 17-thousand dollars died for lack of a second.
Pam Jordan told her fellow supervisors she feels less costly options are available. And Mardi Allen said she doesn’t feel comfortable spending the additional money this early into the project, saying there could be many unexpected surprises along the way. Supervisor Wayne Northey countered, saying his counterparts are squandering an opportunity by not addressing the issue right now.
Schlager recommended the supervisors revisit the issue in another six to eight months when they’ll have a better handle on available money and plans.
