GOSHEN — Though the Elkhart County Commissioners didn’t officially say “no,” the recent call to build a new county courts facility in downtown Elkhart looks to be a lost cause. And at least one commissioner has been open about saying the city’s plan isn’t feasible.
The commissioners voted during their meeting Monday to accept a consultant’s report that seems to recommend passing on Elkhart Mayor Rod Roberson’s recent proposal.
Roberson went before the commissioners Sept. 21 with an idea to combine the county’s plans for a new $80–$86 million courts complex with the city’s planned new $30 million police facility. He suggested the city would purchase and clear an approximately 120,000-square-foot downtown block, across from the current courthouse along Second Street, and build a joint court-police facility there. The current courthouse would then be demolished and replaced with a parking garage, estimated to cost up to $25 million.
Noblesville-based PMSI Corp., the firm the county hired to consult on the courts project, analyzed Roberson’s proposals. The company’s report contrasts projected savings from partnering with the city of Elkhart vs. losses that would accrue from sitting on bonds and mounting constructions costs from waiting for the downtown site to be ready.
The report also notes the site could be frustrating for residents outside of the city.
“Placing the new courts facility in downtown Elkhart instead of halfway between Goshen and Elkhart seems to be asking for frustration from the Goshen side of the county,” the report states, while also finding a site between Goshen and Elkhart would be more convenient.
The county has been looking for almost a year at consolidating the courts system into one location. The seven county courts are currently split up, with the Circuit Court, Superior Court 3 and Superior Court 4 running out of the historic courthouse in downtown Goshen, while superior courts 1, 2, 5 and 6, plus the Juvenile Court, are located at the building in downtown Elkhart.
A study by PMSI, released in February, recommended a 170,000-square-foot modern facility that would bring all the courts under one roof with room to potentially expand the system. County leaders are now leaning toward selecting one of two sites: property along C.R. 17 near U.S. 20, or land along Reliance Road in Goshen, close to Dunlap.
The commissioners are expected to announce a decision on the site Nov. 14. They and the Elkhart County Council all voted last month to issue $35 million in bonds, as the first round of bonding. The project will be financed through revenues from an adjusted gross income tax that was created to fund construction of the Elkhart County Correctional Complex.
In the report on the downtown Elkhart site proposal, PMSI estimated the county would save about $2.6 million by partnering with the city. However, the firm said the move could also end up costing the county at least $16 million due to delays.
The report found that readying the proposed downtown Elkhart site could delay the county’s plans by about nine to 12 months. In that time, the interest on the current bond could accrue about $700,000; interest rates could potentially rise for the second bonds, which could add $9.8 million to the total costs; rising construction costs could also add another $5.2 million, plus another $300,000 to shore up streets surrounding the site, according to estimates in the report.
PMSI also noted concerns about being able to meet security requirements around that site, and pointed out the adjusted income tax financing in a joint project could only be used for the county’s portion.
Taxes are not expected to increase to help fund the courts complex project.
“We are not increasing any taxes. At all. We’re using existing taxes,” Commissioner Mike Yoder said last week.
He said the county has paid down the bonds from the correctional complex, leaving the county currently with a borrowing capacity of within $65 million–$70 million. That, of course, falls below the estimated project cost of at least $80 million. Yoder said he hopes bids will come in lower than the estimate when the time comes to look at hiring a company for construction.
“If not, we have cash reserves from which we can pay that difference,” Yoder said, stressing the county intends to stay within its budget. “We need a courts building. And we will build what we can afford.”
In addition to accepting the new report Monday, the commissioners also approved a resolution to have PMSI move into a second phase and begin project management services.
The commissioners also approved the formation of a technical review committee to help oversee construction. Members include commissioner…
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