It’s not the actual green light needed to build a new courthouse in Shawano County, but it’s close as you can get until then.
Supervisors will meet at 3 p.m. March 25 to vote on a maximum amount to borrow to build a new courthouse — a decision that will guide them when any future borrowing votes are taken.
Last month, consultants unveiled a base plan of $88.5 million for a two-story courthouse west of the current building at 311 N. Main St.; this also included some auxiliary areas for the jail and a secure connection between the jail and the courthouse.
Also unveiled was a $32.5 million alternate for a 150-bed housing pod at the jail; this would allow the county to close the work release center on Engel Drive and increase operational efficiencies within the jail.
County Board Chairman Tom Kautza stressed the importance of the meeting to supervisors last month.
“Next meeting is very important,” he said. “That vote, it’s an awful big vote, and hopefully everybody can attend. If you can’t attend and you still want to vote, there is the option to call in and do it remotely.”
Three times in the past week, supervisors and other officials had the chance to share information about the projects with the community and collect feedback. Informational meetings were held in Shawano, Bonduel and Wittenberg.
If supervisors approve of a borrowing limit and later approve the actual borrowing to build, a few other pieces will likely fall into place.
First, a new courthouse will have space for three circuit court judges: courtrooms, judges’ chambers, rooms for judicial assistants and jury rooms. The Wisconsin Senate is expected to pass a bill later this month to add a third judgeship to Shawano County, effective in August 2028.
“The Assembly voted and, in the vote, passed a third judge,” Kautza said to supervisors in February. “It passed by a pretty good margin. So the only steps left with that would be it goes to the Senate next, possibly in March for their vote, and then it gets to the governor’s office. That’ll tell us, too, what we’ll have to get ready for space needs in the future.”
Second, a new jail pod, according to the plans, will require the county to purchase the home at 217 W. Third St.
The purchase has already been approved by the public property and executive committees. The full board needs to give approval for it to move forward.
“There’s no use in buying a house over there if everybody decides not to borrow and not to do any project,” Kautza said. “We’ll decide that all next month.”
The county would pay $300,000 for the house, and the owners would have to move out by fall.
According to Shawano County online tax records, Amber Hetzer owns the Third Street property, which has an assessed value of $82,400 and an estimated fair market value of $96,700.
Third, after a new courthouse and jail pod are built, there are long-range plans to build a new sheriff’s department and another housing pod, which would lead to the razing of the current sheriff’s department and jail.
Kurt Berner, of The Samuels Group, suggested the county consider those building plans in 2036.
The current county tax rate is $3.76 per $1,000 of equalized value. Building the new courthouse alone would result in a decrease in the rate due to increases in valuation of properties across the county.
For the $121 million project, the $3.76 would increase to $3.81 in 2027 and peak at $3.87 in 2028. After that, it would decrease.
Berner said that in 2036, the rate would be down to $2.97, which would be a good time to take on the additional debt.
The new sheriff’s department and jail pod are estimated to cost $50 million to $60 million in today’s dollars.
For information on the county’s building plans, visit www.shawanocountymasterplanning.com.
kpasson@newmedia-wi.com
