Commission discusses water damage at the courthouse

Nevada Daily Mail

After recent storms, the staff at the Vernon County Courthouse once again must deal with the issue of water leaking into the building, with the potential of causing damage to both the structure and equipment.

Paula Messner met with the Vernon County Commission Tuesday morning to tell them about the water that leaked through the windows on the north side of the office she and GIS director Tim Bourassa share. They have already had to caulk shut the windows on the west side because of the damage water leakage was causing.

"Water's coming in somewhere at both of those windows," Messner told the presiding commissioner Joe Hardin and southern commissioner Everett Wolfe, with northern commissioner Neal Gerster absent. Messner gave Wolfe a tour of the office, showing where the damage had been done.

Messner said on Monday she came to an office with no Internet since water had damaged the equipment. She also found signs of water on the telephone, computer, books and other paper and files on their desks.

"I don't know what the easiest, quickest solution will be," Hardin said, but said they will contact an engineer to examine the area of the building and see what can be done.

Messner said she hopes they will not have to seal the windows shut, since they enjoy opening them for fresh air. Hardin said they would pursue possibilities and make sure something is done to correct the problem.

In recent months Vernon County has been pursuing a heritage grant from the Missouri preservation office for courthouse repairs, but Hardin said there likely would not be enough funding in the initial grant for such a project. Hardin said they have money budgeted for maintenance and repairs on the courthouse grounds.

The commissioners also heard from Harrison Township residents Kevin and Sue Bond, who said they would like to know when a drainage ditch on their property will be completed since the bridge project it was tied to was finished in August 2014.

Ever since the permanent telephone line was cut during the project, the Bonds said they have been using a temporary phone line and are often without communications since the phone lines do not work well in any kind of adverse weather.

Hardin contacted an engineer who will look at the unfinished project Wednesday afternoon, and from there a timeline will be set for its completion, whether the state continues the project or the county. Bond said he will continue work on it himself if it is not done soon, saying not having consistent phone services worries him since they may not have a way to reach help in the case of an emergency.