The two quotes for tuckpointing at the Starke County courthouse are so widely varied in terms of price the commissioners have decided to go through a formal bid process for the work. They plan to ask the contractors who are completing the new jail to put together bid packets for the scope of the project. It includes masonry repair from the top of the clock tower to the basement, electrical and plumbing upgrades and the remodeling of space on the second floor to accommodate the prosecutor’s office. It’s currently in the basement of the existing jail across the street. That building will be remodeled after the inmates move out and will eventually be home to Starke County Community Corrections and the probation office.
The office space remodeling and renovation of the current jail can be paid for with tax money earmarked for the jail construction. However, the general repairs to the courthouse have to come from the county’s share of economic development income taxes. The commissioners will figure out which revenue streams can be used to fund which aspects of the project before proceeding. No timeline has been set for doing that work.
