Commissioners make case for one cent sales tax at

WALSENBURG — District Judge Claude Appel, who worked on the courts’ needs assessment process in 2014 and worked on the Underfunded Courthouse legislation at the state level discussed the needs of a new judicial center for Huerfano courts at a public meeting at the Fox Theatre last week. He explained the courts need 16,000 sf of space to accommodate the some 2,000 cases (2017 estimates) that come through the Huerfano courts system. With current space at only 6,500 sf, Appel explained there is absolutely no room in the current building for expansion. The Huerfano County Courthouse was built in 1904 with a then estimated building life expectancy of 35-years, far less than its current 114 years of service.

Photo by Eric Mullens Financing for new judicial center topic of discussion by Eric Mullens WALSENBURG — Huerfano County Commissioners, local judicial representatives, finance and design experts, all hosted a public meeting at the Fox Theatre on May 30 to discuss the needs for, the design of, and the method of financing deemed ‘most fair’ for the new Huerfano County Judicial Center project for downtown Walsenburg. Speakers included Commission Chairman Ray Garcia, Commissioner Max Vezzani, Third Judicial District Court Judge Claude Appel, Alan Matlosz of George K. Baum & Co. , and architect Wells Squire of Anderson/ Hallas Architects of Golden, CO.

Approximately 80 people attended the two-hour long session and viewed a photographic slide show that depicted current overcrowded court and staff conditions on the third floor of the historic 114-year old Huerfano County Courthouse. Other photographs showed physical building conditions, including water leaks, dead birds and the failing facade of the building along with a shortage of electrical infrastructure necessary to a modern electronic, paperless-driven court facility. The courthouse condition and needs portion of the presentation was narrated by Judge Appel. Matlosz discussed public financing and Squire discussed the current design of the proposed center, which includes a drive through campus that will allow traffic from South Albert to West Fifth Street for a Main Street connection in downtown Walsenburg.

“This (the drive through campus) was something we heard from the public in previous meetings and we listened,” Judge Appel said. Many of the slides projected onto the theatre’s screen showed multiple extension outlets used to power court computers and other electronic devices, trash cans used as buckets to catch leaking water and the doubling up of the limited office space. While general courthouse security and the movement of inmates to courtrooms from the jail has been mentioned as a major issue in the past, Judge Appel last week also discussed the security and integrity of the judicial process. He explained there is literally no real privacy available for probation clients, family and other court personnel and clients, and the lack of space for attorney – client meetings and separation of witnesses, potential jurors and defendants in criminal proceedings.

He said many attorneys and staff have to meet with court clients on the wooden bench located in the short hallway outside the court clerk’s office. Matlosz discussed other judicial center projects around the state and the financing methods local governments have chosen to pay for the new buildings. He said most local governments who have found they have to address aging court facilities have selected sales tax increases as the most fair way to pay. Sales tax increases spread out the debt between all citizens and visitors to a county or judicial district without putting the entire finance burden on property owners, he said.

He talked about financing with a sale tax issue and how some county’s have prepared legislation that would sunset (or end) three-quarters of their sales tax increase after 20 years and keep one quarter of one cent on the books for maintenance of their new courts facilities. Commissioner Garcia told the World Journal the board will begin the process to put the one cent sale tax issue before local voters this November. He said he expects the board to have a draft version of the sales tax question prepared by July. Total financing will come from grants, local matches and the sales tax issue, if approved by voters this fall.

It is too early to say whether or not the sales tax issue to be prepared will contain a total or partial sunset clause. According to Squire, the current cost of the design is estimated at $10 M. Approximately $1. 2 M has been spent already for the West Fifth location covering costs of preliminary designs, engineering and underground utility location along the site of the proposed two story new judicial center.

Underfunded Courthouse grant funds, other grants and local matches have financed this portion of the preliminary phases. Appel ran down the list of other locations that were considered before the W. Fifth Street location was chosen. The City of Walsenburg has already passed a street vacation for that portion of West Fifth Street, which allowed preliminary work to begin there.

Local elected officials, and the financing and design experts met with the public to answer one on one questions in the lobby of the theatre following an open question and answer session held at the end of the public meeting. District Judge Claude Appel, who worked on the courts’ needs assessment process in 2014 and worked on the Underfunded Courthouse legislation at the state level discussed the needs of a new judicial center for Huerfano courts at a public meeting at the Fox Theatre last week. He explained the courts need 16,000 sf of space to accommodate the some 2,000 cases (2017 estimates) that come through the Huerfano courts system. With current space at only 6,500 sf, Appel explained there is absolutely no room in the current building for expansion.

The Huerfano County Courthouse was built in 1904 with a then estimated building life expectancy of 35-years