County offices making the move into newly renovated courthouse

At long last, it’s move-in time at the renovated Flathead County Courthouse.

The county commissioners and their staff are moving into their new offices on the third floor of the building this week, in advance of Thursday’s meeting in the new chambers.

With the finishing touches being put on the nine-month, $2.7 million construction project this week, the moving schedule largely remains in place, county Administrator Mike Pence said.

The big change in the schedule was to bump the move of the Human Resources Department from this week until Nov. 21 and 22, Pence said.

The floor in that second-floor office space required additional leveling to accommodate heavy file cabinets, he said. Contractors were working on that project Monday and Tuesday, expecting to finish it fairly quickly.

On Monday, Pence still was overseeing minor repairs and work that had been identified on the punch list before the job would be considered completed.

Handrails still must be installed outside the building’s entrances and an emergency outdoor light had to be placed near the front entrance of the building before the city of Kalispell would issue a certificate of occupancy, he said. That work was to be completed Tuesday.

City officials did issue a certificate that allowed county employees to begin moving into the building, but not to occupy space there until the full occupancy certificate was issued.

As more offices move into the courthouse from various other buildings on the courthouse campus during the next month, signs will be posted informing people about what offices have moved.

Empty areas of the courthouse will be blocked to public access until moves are completed, Pence said. Initially, the south entrance to the courthouse will be open to the public, providing both stairway and elevator access.

Not much furniture is being moved from other buildings into the courthouse, Pence said.

Most offices got new desks that were installed a couple of weeks ago. But file cabinets, all painted at the county road and bridge shop “so they look new,” are being moved to the renovated building, along with chairs, computers, telephones, files and paperwork used by county employees.

Employees of the county maintenance department are doing the moving, Pence said.

“We are excited to see this project come to completion,” Pence said, “and to get this move done.”

Reporter Shelley Ridenour may be reached at 758-4439 or sridenour@dailyinterlake.com.