Washington County officials break ground on new public safety building
Shortly after Nick Sherman was sworn-in as a freshman commissioner in January 2020, he and his colleagues received an unsettling warning about the condition of the Courthouse Square office building in Washington.
Washington County’s government office building had developed foundation issues and cement was falling from the ceiling of the parking garage in the basement, risking damage to cars or something much worse.
Later that year, the commissioners purchased the neighboring Crossroads Center building for $10 million and moved much of the county’s offices into the location directly across West Beau Street. But as foundation issues persisted at Courthouse Square, Sherman said the commissioners decided it was time to demolish the seven-story office tower and build a public safety complex in its place.
“Public safety is one of the most important things we can do as county commissioners,” Sherman said.
Sherman and fellow Republican Commissioner Electra Janis were joined by other dignitaries Thursday afternoon as they plunged gold-plated shovels into a dirt-filled box for the ceremonial groundbreaking to formally kick off construction of the county’s new Public Safety Building behind the Washington County Courthouse.
In a 2-1 vote with Sherman and Janis in favor and Commissioner Larry Maggi voting against during a special meeting in July, the board approved four contracts totaling $41.2 million to construct the new building after spending another $6 million on the demolition of Courthouse Square earlier this year. Construction is scheduled to begin next month and is expected to be completed by late next year with the county’s various public safety entities moving in by early 2028.
“This big hole we have behind us today is about more than public safety,” Sherman said while speaking just above the lot where Courthouse Square once stood. “It’s an economic development project.”
The three-story public safety building will house the 911 dispatch center, sheriff’s office, booking center and have other various office space for county government, along with some areas for civic institutions to gather for meetings. Sherman said the new building, coupled with a total overhaul of the 911 emergency radio system used by first responders, will be a major improvement in public safety for the county’s residents.
“This is about the next generation of Washington County,” Sherman said.
“Washington County has never had a project of this magnitude, but when it comes to public safety, this is the kind of investment we owe to the people who protect us every day,” Janis added. “Our first responders are our first line of defense, and they deserve a secure, modern facility that supports the critical work they do for our residents.”
But not everyone is pleased with the building or its costs. Maggi, who is the lone Democrat on the board, declined to attend Thursday’s groundbreaking and issued a statement a day earlier saying he thought the new public safety building was an unnecessary expense during a time of economic uncertainty.
“My concern is that the commissioners are spending and borrowing a vast amount of money that will cause more debt and burden to our county taxpayers,” Maggi said in a written statement. “Times are financially difficult for our residents, and they are being forced to reduce their own spending out of necessity. It’s time for the county to do the same thing.”
After the groundbreaking, Sherman was blunt about the need for the new building and emergency radio system.
“You can’t put a price tag on public safety,” Sherman said.