As the courthouse crumbles…Learn from the past

And I thought I was having a bad day. Computer crashes, stories lost, tax questions, bills due. And then I hear about the County Courthouse. Apparently the historical part of the structure was so bad, it collapsed while construction crews were trying preserve it as part of the new courthouse construction project.
That surprise self-demolition will add time, money and stress to the project. The major $14.5 million renovation project (never the most popular project in the county) now appears at a crux point of sorts that will take more time and more money no matter what. That’s unfortunate given the scatteredness of our county government at the moment.
To preserve some of the historic structure would have been great. It’s always good to pay tribute and embrace the place we came from. Lessons can be learned and guidance given from our past. While always a pretty cool look, the history isn’t just present in wooden beams and old bricks. It’s the actions taken and the people involved that matter from the past. That’s where the lessons are learned.
Getting a central courthouse for our county is paramount to good governance. The county commissioners and staff should take a realistic look at the new costs involved in preserving some of the historic courthouse. If it’s cheap, continue on that path. It doesn’t sound like it will be. So if it’s going to blow the budget of the project, let’s be realistic about our present and don’t cripple a future county budget. Put up a plaque and some images of the past to remind people from where they came in the Gunnison County Courthouse.
By being realistic about the current situation, the commissioners could truly pay tribute to the common sense sensibilities of the past while respecting the future. It’s a bad day for the project but those in charge can take a breath, deal and move on in the best way possible. That’s probably what those stalwart ranchers and settlers who built the original courthouse would have done and that’s really the only choice out there. This time however, let’s put a foundation under the building…another lesson learned.