The Attala County Board of Supervisors spent a couple of hours Monday reviewing, revising and finalizing a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application to the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) to renovate the Attala County Courthouse for compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).
The county is being assisted in the application process by John Wiggers of the North Central Planning & Development District. Plans were drawn up by Belinda Stewart Architects, which also developed theproject cost estimates.
Supervisors previously had Belinda Stewart Associates complete a site study, approved a resolution to apply for grant funds and held a public hearing on the project.
Monday, supervisors removed several items from the project that they felt were not necessary before the deadline for Wiggers to finalize and submit the application to the MDA.
If fully funded — at a total estimated cost of $625,340 — the project will make significant removations to both the exterior and interior of the courthouse.
“In order to be competitive,” Wiggers told the Supervisors, “you need to match funds one-to-one.”
That means the county would be responsible for about $312,670 of the estimated project cost. They are also responsible for setting aside funds — about $250 per month — to maintain the improvements if the project is funded and completed.
General site work will include demolition of the concrete steps, the jury bench floor, east and west entrance stone repair, repairs to the north porch and improvements to elevator access at the basement level.
On the exterior, the concrete steps and railings leading to the entrances will be demolished and replaced, the elevator lobby will be renovated for better accommodation and there will need to be changes to an exterior door to allow improved access.
Internally, the largest segment of the project is replacing the current split-level rest rooms — one for men, the other for women. One is now below floor level, the other above floor level. In addition to making them level to the floor they are on, plumbing will need to be redone.
There will also be significant renovation to the courtroom access, jury areas and the courtroom itself.
