With the asbestos abatement scheduled for the second floor of the Daviess County Courthouse, Fiscal Court meetings will be held off-site until further notice. The courthouse will undergo other renovations over the next year and a half, but public access to the other offices and services will largely be unaffected.
Starting with their next meeting on August 22, Fiscal Court will host all meetings in Blandford Hall on Owensboro Community and Technical College’s campus at 4800 New Hartford Road. The meetings will still be live streamed on Fiscal Court’s Facebook Page.
County Director of Parks and Public Information Jordan Rowe said the decision to move meeting locations was made after the ongoing asbestos cleaning reached the courthouse’s second floor.
Rowe said the cleaning is only expected to take place on the building’s south side (facing 3rd Street). The Sheriff’s and Coroner’s offices are not expected to have to move.
“They’re just remediating the asbestos on the south side of the building, leading up to the renovation work that will occur late this year into early next year, and then the replacement of the HVAC system for the building,” Rowe said.
The renovation project includes fixing the HVAC system along with upgrades to the Fiscal Court administrative offices, County Attorney’s office, hallway bathrooms, and the election and finance departments in the County Clerk’s office. The projected cost is $4.5 million for the total renovation.
“Since the Fiscal Court administrative offices have not been modified significantly since the courthouse was constructed, the work in that section will be more involved than in other areas of the courthouse to be updated,” County Treasurer Jordan Johnson said.
The only other office that will have to temporarily move is that of the County Clerk. However, they will wait until the election is over before making a move, and no plans have been announced yet on where they will be relocated.
Johnson added that other offices throughout the building can be worked on during nights and weekends and in phases to prevent them from being displaced. Public access to County offices should not be affected for the duration of the project, Johnson said.
“Maintaining employee and public safety during the project is the primary goal, so areas under renovation, construction, and remediation will be properly sealed and marked. Air quality testing will be performed and monitored daily in compliance with all regulations,” Johnson said.
Johnson said that the project is expected to be completed by December 31, 2025, with the Fiscal Court administrative offices and the courtroom finishing in the spring of 2025.
