No, the walls of the Meeker County Courthouse are not falling down. But a structural fault that could be serious is being evaluated.
To put it simply, Facilities Manager Joel Ramthun told the Meeker County Board of Commissioners Tuesday morning that the decorative stucco that forms the outer surface of the courthouse building is pulling away from the layers beneath it. The issue, he said, is most serious on the east and south outer walls.
Surrounded by orange construction fencing and cones, the eastern main entrance is currently closed as a safety precaution, and parking has been banned on the west side of Sibley Avenue fronting the courthouse. This stretch of sidewalk is also closed until further notice, county officials said.
In the meantime, courthouse visitors should enter the courthouse through the west doors at the back of the building.
A structural engineer hired by the company that handles the county’s insurance coverage has examined the problem. The county has also hired an outside structural engineering firm to provide a report.
Ramthun, who has been the county’s facilities manager with responsibility not only over the courthouse, but also the Family Services building and Highway Department headquarters, said the extent of repair work is uncertain at this time.
“It could be a matter of serious money, but it could be of much less significance, depending on what the building experts find,” Ramthun said.
Ramthun said a careful examination of the two walls in question reveals a definite sagging. Studying the building’s situation is on a fast track, and quick action will follow the consulting architect’s report.
The courthouse was built in 1976.
