The St. Louis County Board on Tuesday approved selling $7.15 million in bonds for an addition and upgrades to the county courthouse in Virginia.
The approval came after a public hearing in the Duluth courthouse that drew no opposition and received vocal support from local labor leaders, who said the investment will help spur construction jobs.
"Conditions are so sub-standard that even the rats are stoop-shouldered,'' said Commissioner Mike Forsman of Ely of parts of the existing courthouse in Virginia.
Commissioners amended their long-range capital improvement plan to allow window replacement and heating and ventilation upgrades in the building, as well as add space for law enforcement and probation officers. The money also will bring new law enforcement communications equipment to several county buildings, including the courthouse.
County officials noted interest rates for bonds are extremely low, making it a good time to build needed projects. They also noted that construction firms, hungry for work, have been submitting favorably priced bids.
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The board spent more time debating what type of bonds to use for the project, with some commissioners arguing against federally subsidized Build America Bonds. Supporters of the Build America Bonds said they could save county taxpayers up to $200,000 in interest over the 15-year life of the bond repayments, while opponents said they didn't trust the government's involvement.
The board eventually voted to allow staff to choose from either type of bond.
