Changes are on the horizon at the Dickinson County Courthouse after voters on Tuesday approved a $13.5 million bond issue for improvements.
The vote in favor of issuance of bonds was 1,851 to 1,800.
County Administrator Brad Homman said about 73 provisional ballots remain to be counted when Dickinson County commissioners canvass the election at 9 a.m. Monday at the courthouse.
Just a year ago, voters rejected a proposal to issue $15.9 million in bonds for courthouse improvements, to be paid off over 34 years. The money would have been used to fix plumbing problems that caused a sewage odor, to expand the overcrowded jail and to deal with other issues.
Homman said earlier that the biggest issue with the previous vote was the amount of time it would have taken to pay off bonds.
This time, county voters reacted favorably. “Everyone that’s involved with this project on a daily basis sees it as a critical step forward,” Homman said. “It’s important to have a viable jail that will support the county for several decades to come.”
The project still includes new plumbing, renovation of county offices and a new jail and sheriff’s offices. Changes include renovating the existing courtroom rather than building a new one and not creating space in the building for the Abilene Police Department.
(Read more: News – Salina Journal)