The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors approved a base plan for renovating the courthouse at their monthly meeting Friday.
The planned renovations to the building will cost the county about $840,000, including $706,450 in construction costs, said Joey Henderson with JBHM Architects.
But once the county finishes painting, replacing furniture and completing other interior projects, the cost will be about $1 million, said Board President Harry Sanders.
The renovations follow the exodus of departments from the courthouse to the former First Federal Bank building at 12th Street and Main Street.
Offices of the tax assessor and appraiser are now on the first floor of the new building, while county administration and accounting offices are on the second.
The board approved the purchase of the building about a year ago for $950,000 and has already spent $8,700 on new furniture.
The departments left in the courthouse will be shuffled around, with the chancery clerk”s office moving to where the tax assessor”s office was once the room is renovated.
The chancery clerk”s office will be reworked into a storage space for voting machines.
The supervisors” boardroom will be doubled by taking down the room”s western wall, making more room for citizens.
The plan also shows sweeping changes on the second floor. Several rooms will be redone, including the district attorney”s office and the bond and parole office.
After approving the plan, the county voted to begin a month of advertising for bids on the project.
The project should begin in mid November and take about a year to complete, Henderson said.
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