Courthouse renovation gets OK from county

After no one showed up for a public hearing on Tuesday, the Flathead County commissioners unanimously approved an environmental assessment that sets the stage for a $1.8 million renovation of the main Courthouse.

The hearing was a requirement for a $50,000 state historical preservation grant the county is getting to help pay for the upgrades.

The county also got a federal grant for $126,300 to install energy-efficient and historically aesthetic windows. The Flathead County Museum Board will contribute $210,000 and roughly $1.4 million will come from the county’s building fund.

Scheduled to get under way this fall or early winter, the project involves restoring the grand stairway to replicate original construction and preserving the exterior facade, which includes replacing damaged trim and installing rain gutters.

The 107-year-old building will be brought up to Americans with Disabilities Act standards by adding an elevator and handicapped-accessible restrooms on each floor.

Various structural modifications will ensure building safety and stability.

Employees of the main Courthouse, which houses the Clerk and Recorder’s Office, plat room, election department and Geographic Information System department, likely will have to be temporarily relocated during the renovation.