The Oklahoma State Capital

Guthrie, Okla - The Logan County Board of Commissioners unanimously ratified a $2.1 million expenditure on Thursday as part of an ambitious plan to expand and renovate county offices.

“Ever Thought You’d Spend That Kind of Money?”

As commissioners reflected on their large expenditure, Chairman Mark Sharpton quipped, "Ever thought you'd spend that kind of money in one setting?"

District 3 Commissioner Monty Piercy responded to Sharpton with dry humor, “First time this week,” prompting Sharpton’s laughter.

Sharpton, while still laughing, pointed at Piercy and declared, "you just spent 2.1 million."

District 2 Commissioner Charlie Meadows chimed in with a grin, “We are going to spend more than that before it’s all over with.”

The commissioners' plan involves purchasing the state's Division Street Department of Human Services (DHS) building, leasing its land from the state for 55 years, conducting extensive renovations to both the DHS building and the county courthouse, and abandoning the county office annex, which currently houses commissioner chambers and other offices and possibly demolishing another venerable structure, the six-story county building, one of Guthrie's tallest buildings, recently deemed to be structurally sound, but currently underutilized by county officials.

The moves are expected to present significant logistical and security challenges, including relocating property records and management of the county's cash systems, as some of the county offices engage in a game of "musical offices," with a new county building that's located some distance away from the current county complex.

A Massive Office Shuffle

Once renovations are complete, the DHS building will house the offices of the commissioners, county clerk, assessor, and treasurer. This will free up space in the courthouse for expanded district court operations, which have reportedly struggled with limited capacity. Commissioner Piercy noted that the county's new property expansion initiative originally stemmed from conversations with a judge, believed to be District Judge Phillip Corley, who highlighted the courts’ need for additional space.

The project is funded by federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars, allocated to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The county must encumber the funds by the end of 2024 or return them to the federal government. However, only $6 million remains in the county's ARPA account, while previous estimates from the county's engineering firm suggest the combined renovation costs will exceed $6.8 million—and that number doesn't include the $2.1 million purchase price.

As he pitched the benefits of the plan, Piercy seemed to imply that the ARPA funds would cover both the DHS building and courthouse renovations, calling into question whether the county officials have fully accounted for the project's financial scope or maybe, even understand that if the engineer's estimates prove to be correct, costs will far exceed the available funds.

Sharpton Dismisses "Grumblings" About Roads

Sharpton acknowledged, as he put it, “grumblings” from constituents who would have preferred the millions in ARPA funds to be used for road improvements, a pressing issue in the rapidly growing southern parts of the county where commissioners have struggled to keep up with the demands of the increasing traffic. As Sharpton attempted to dismiss those concerns, Piercy interjected, noting that some ARPA funds had already been directed to road projects.

Sharpton also cited potential noncompliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a justification for the new courthouse renovations, specifically mentioning accessibility issues to the jury deliberation room. However, Sharpton failed to state that the ADA provides safe harbor protections for government buildings predating enactment of the ADA in 1992. Sharpton's proposed renovations could void these protections, potentially exposing the county to new liabilities.

Also, notably absent from Thursday's discussion were alternative, cost-effective solutions for expanding court operations. Commissioners failed to publicly consider utilizing the abandoned U.S. Bankruptcy Courtroom in Guthrie’s historic federal building. The ornate, unused space was not mentioned as an alternate potential venue.

In 1999, state officials were reported to have briefly considered utilizing the federal courtroom to host the state's trial of accused Murrah bombing suspect Terry Nichols. The plan was opposed by a resolution of the Guthrie City Council and never materialized.

Another unresolved issue involves the county’s six-story building, which has been allowed to deteriorate despite being deemed structurally sound. While Sharpton suggested potentially demolishing the building, after a roof tile was found near the structure, Logan County Clerk Troy Cole noted the structure generates $1,500 monthly from cellular antenna leases. She said that demolition is estimated to cost $500,000 and the county would lose these revenues.

The commissioners' secretary informed Sharpton and the board that "some kids" had been sighted entering the building, and perhaps the tile damage was due to their involvement.